Remembering Farrah Fawcett Who Died From Anal Cancer– Her Legacy & The Continued Effort To Remove Stigma

Fawcett was first diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006. She was declared cancer-free in 2007, as she turned 60, but a few months later the cancer came back and spread to her liver. Fawcett died at the age of 62.

Anal cancer is a rare cancer and is not as easily diagnosed as other cancers since there is not a routine screening like pap smears to help monitor it. Likewise, the symptoms are not only difficult to pin as anal cancer symptoms but they are also stigmatized since they usually include rectal bleeding, anal itching, abnormal discharge in the region, and changes in bowel habits. These symptoms along with the fact that human papillomavirus (HPV) is thought to be a main cause of anal cancer. This makes it so that some people are too ashamed to come forward with their symptoms. Dr. Julian Sanchez, a surgeon in the Moffitt Cancer Center's Gastrointestinal Oncology Clinic in Tampa, Florida, spoke about the steps being taken at Moffitt to combat later anal cancer diagnoses. When caught early, anal cancer is very treatable through chemotherapy or radiation. However, in Fawcett's case, she had symptoms for a while and did not express her concerns, leading to a poor prognosis.

There are currently no major screening guidelines for anal cancer so Dr. Sanchez has begun a clinic in which high risk patients like HIV-positive patients and gay men can come in for screenings. Likewise, it is important to raise awareness about the disease.

Removing The Stigma Around Anal Cancer

Can HPV Cause Cancer?: More than 70% of Americans Don't Know that HPV Can Cause Anal, Oral, and Penile Cancers 

"HPV is ubiquitous," Justine Almada, Executive Director at the HPV and Anal Cancer Foundation, said. "The primary risk factor for getting it is being a human being."

The infection usually goes away on its own and will not cause symptoms but sometimes, a person can contract a specific "high-risk" strain of HPV, which means the virus will linger.

Dr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist specializing in head and neck cancer at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, previously explained to SurvivorNet how the lingering virus can ultimately cause cancer: "Over time, meaning decades after we were first exposed, the virus gets into our DNA, and likes to settle in the tissues of the cervix or the back of the throat [or anus], and can ultimately cause changes that form cancer," she said.

Preventative Measures

RELATED: Lillian Kreppel Got Cancer Through HPV, And She Wants to Stop the Vaccine Controversy

Fortunately, more than 90% of HPV-related cancer including anal cancer are preventable in people who get the HPV vaccine, which was first introduced in 2006 under the name Gardasil. And because it is estimated that 90% of anal cancers are the result of HPV one of the types of HPV that the Gardasil vaccine protects against that means 90% of anal cancers are preventable.

The HPV vaccine is recommended for children, and ideally should be given at a young age, before children become sexually active. The vaccine is most effective on people who have not yet been exposed to any strains of HPV.

Inaccurate Myths Surrounding the HPV Vaccine

"The HPV vaccines do not cause autism, there's always a risk of some vaccine-related side effects … local site injection pain, some redness, some swelling," says Dr. Geiger. "There are no syndromes such as autism or other neurologic symptoms that have been linked to the HPV vaccines."

Dr. Geiger says that another reason why parents don’t want to have their children vaccinated against HPV is because they don't want to think about their kids ever having sex. "The fact is that the majority of us are going to participate in sexual activity at some point in our lives … it's unreasonable to think that just because your child isn't engaging in sexual activity now that they won't later in life."

But the reality of the situation is that the HPV vaccine helps prevent against various cancers that HPV is linked to, including anal cancer.

 

RELATED: Don't be Swayed by Myths: The HPV Vaccine is Completely Safe

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