This gap in the literature is a concern from both public health and clinical perspectives, given the relatively high prevalence of HIV in the gay/bisexual male population.
14 There is evidence that CRC is more common among HIV patients, 15 and that it develops at an earlier age and is more aggressive than it is among persons without HIV. 16 – 18 Despite the lack of a known association between HIV and prostate cancer, some clinicians working in the gay community maintain that HIV-positive men should receive PSA testing at ages younger than those recommended by clinical guidelines in order to avoid HIV-related complications of treatment for advanced cancers. Estimates of the association of sexual orientation with CRC and PSA testing may provide useful information to planners and providers of prevention outreach and clinical services for gay/bisexual men.ġ9 However, these screening practices could lead to harmful therapies that impair patient functioning and well-being without improving outcomes.
