Initiation of an anal cancer screening in HIV+MSM: results of cytology, biopsy and determination of risk factors

Incidence of anal cancer is increasing and risk of anal cancer is higher in MSM, especially if they are HIV+. European guidelines for treatment of HIV‐infected adults recommend anal cancer screening by digital rectal exam±Pap test with anuscopy if Pap test is abnormal. A systematic anal cancer screening in HIV+MSM with anal cytology (Pap smears) was established in June 2011 in our reference centre in Brussels. If anal cytology was abnormal, high‐resolution anuscopy (HRA) with biopsy was performed. 353 MSM HIV+were screened by anal smears between June 2011 and May 2012. 90% were Caucasians, median age was 44.5 years, 83% were on HAART and 74% had an undetectable viral load, median CD4 was 632/µl and 33% had a nadir CD4