Screening for Anal Cancer in Men Who Have Sex With Men Using Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis

Launched by UNIVERSITAIR ZIEKENHUIS BRUSSEL · Jun 11, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This study is looking at anal cancer risk in men who have sex with men (MSM) who are taking a medicine called PrEP to prevent HIV infection. The researchers want to find out how common certain early warning signs of anal cancer, called high-grade lesions (HSIL), are in this group. They will also see how well anal swabs (similar to a Pap smear) work to detect these lesions and how having these lesions might affect a person’s quality of life. Additionally, the study will explore a new type of test called DNA methylation testing to see if it can provide extra information about these lesions.

Men who are 35 years or older, HIV-negative, and have been using PrEP for at least three months may be able to join the study. Participants will be asked about their health and how they feel overall, have an anal swab taken, and undergo a detailed exam called High-Resolution Anoscopy (HRA), which allows doctors to look closely inside the anus and take a small tissue sample if needed. The study is not recruiting yet, but if you fit these criteria and are interested, this research could help improve how we screen for and understand anal cancer risk in men using PrEP.

Gender

MALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • HIV-uninfected MSM (men who have sex with men) aged 35 years or older.
• • participants must have been using PrEP for at least 3 months.
• • Dutch, English or French speaking and writing
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Any intervention in the (peri-)anal region within the past 3 months
• • Enema usage within 2 h before sampling
• • Currently undergoing peri-anal topical HPV-treatment
• • HRA in the last year (anal swab or HRA prior to the last year is no exclusion)