HPV-Related Cancer in Men — Stories from Survivors In ASHA’s 2022 survey of 1,040 men in the U.S., only 31% of respondents knew that HPV can cause anal and penile cancer and even fewer (23%) knew that HPV can cause oral/throat cancer. We know that one important way to raise awareness about HPV-related cancer in men is by sharing stories of those who have experienced it. For patients diagnosed with cancer and survivors, stories from others who have been through the same experience can be a source of comfort, support, and possibly guidance on how to manage the experience. For spouses and famil ..read more

Talking to Your Family and Friends About Your Cancer It can be difficult to talk to family and friends about any cancer diagnosis. As much as people want to be helpful and supportive, they often say exactly the wrong thing or ask questions that feel too personal or inappropriate. This can be a bigger issue when dealing with HPV-related cancers because they involve sex and body parts we often don’t talk about. You might feel like people are prying into your personal life or looking for ways in which the diagnosis is your fault because of past behavior. While it’s always best to assume good i ..read more

Dr. Joel Palefsky Answers Our Questions About Anal Cancer   Dr. Joel Palefsky is an expert in infectious diseases and cancers associated with these diseases. He is an internationally recognized expert in human papillomavirus (HPV) infections of the anus and genitals and specializes in people living with HIV. He recently led the Anal Cancer/HSIL Outcomes Research (ANCHOR) Study, a multi-site study that examined whether detecting and treating pre-cancerous lesions could prevent anal cancer. Dr. Palefsky is the founder and president of the International Anal Neoplasia Society as well ..read more

Dr. Michael Moore Answers Our Questions About HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancers   Michael Moore, MD, is the Chief of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery at the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Otolaryngology. He specializes in cancer removal and reconstructive surgery and works as a part of multidisciplinary team that manages treatment for head and neck cancer patients. Dr. Moore has also served as the Chair of the Cancer Prevention Service of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS), a member of the American Cancer Society HPV Vaccination Roundtable, and as ..read more

An Experimental Vaccine for Chlamydia Shows Promise in Early Study A Phase 1 trail for a possible new chlamydia vaccine had encouraging results. Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs worldwide, and untreated chlamydia infections are one of the most common causes of infertility. A vaccine could dramatically change this landscape. Chlamydia is the most common bacterial STI in the United States. There were over 1.6 million cases reported to the CDC in 2022. There are likely many more that go undetected because chlamydia often has no symptoms. Chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics but if ..read more

Shortage of Only Eye Ointment to Protect Newborns from Gonorrhea-related Eye Infections Requires Alternative Options Most infants born in the U.S. are given an antibiotic eye ointment soon after delivery. This prevents a potentially serious eye infection that can be caused by chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other bacteria transmitted from parent-to-infant during birth. Unfortunately, there is currently a shortage of erythromycin 0.5% ophthalmic ointment, which is the only regimen recommended for this use. With no end of the shortage in sight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC ..read more

Oklahoma Proposes Criminalizing STIs The Oklahoma House recently passed a bill, 78-14, making it a crime to intentionally or recklessly spread several sexually transmitted infection (STIs). Those found guilty would be convicted of a felony and punished with between two and five years in prison. The sponsors of the bill believe that this will encourage testing and prevent the spread of STIs in the state, but public health experts strongly disagree. Oklahoma already has a law that makes it a crime to intentionally spread gonorrhea, syphilis, or smallpox (which is not an STI and has been er ..read more

Mpox Cases Almost Double from Last Year Experts Worry Too Few People Are Vaccinated Mpox cases in the United States are almost double what they were at this time last year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While rates still remain far lower than they were during the outbreak of 2022, experts worry that too few people are vaccinated. As of mid-March, there were an estimated 511 cases of the virus compared to just 287 at the same time last year. New York City has had over 100 cases so far this year compared to just 30 last year, and the Virgi ..read more

Diagnosing and Managing Genital Herpes A two-part conversation with Terri Warren, RN, ANP In this two-part episode of ASHA’s Sex+Health podcast, Terri Warren, RN, ANP—nurse, author, and owner of Westover Heights Clinic in Portland, Oregon that specializes in the genital herpes infection—explains the tests that can provide an accurate genital herpes diagnosis and how they work and clarifies that a physical exam alone should never be the final diagnosis for anyone, for many reasons. She also discusses the importance of knowing herpes type and offers helpful insight into how to put a herpes i ..read more

Doxy-PEP is a New Strategy to Help Prevent STIs Doxy-PEP—or Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis—is a sexual health strategy that involves taking an oral antibiotic after condomless sex to prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. This strategy comes at a time when bacterial STIs are on the rise. Recently released data from the CDC showed there were 2.5 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis reported in the United States in 2022. Cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea—the two most common reportable STIs—have remained high for many years, and syphilis cases have skyrocketed recen ..read more