12 Feb Skin Cancer Risk Increased in Gay and Bisexual Men
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Mostaghimi
Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH
Director, Inpatient Dermatology , Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Instructor, Harvard Medical School
Department of Dermatology
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Smaller studies have demonstrated increased risk for skin cancer among gay men. Prior to this study this data had not been confirmed in a nationally representative database.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: We found that rates of skin cancer were 8.1 percent among gay men and 8.4 percent among bisexual men, statistically higher than the rate of 6.7 percent among heterosexual men. Skin cancer rates were 5.9 percent among lesbian women and 6.6 percent among heterosexual women, which was not a statistically significant difference. However, the rate of 4.7 percent among bisexual women was statistically significantly lower than heterosexual women.
These data confirm similar findings in other smaller studies.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?
Response: Future work needs to identify the core drivers of this increased risk for skin cancer among gay and bisexual men. Once we identify the reasons behind these trends, we can generate public health interventions to improve outcomes in this population. It’s critical that we continue to study sexual and gender identity as part of the BRFSS and other ongoing federal research initiatives to understand the health and wellbeing of sexual minorities.
No relevant disclosures.
Citations:
- Singer S, Tkachenko E, Hartman RI, Mostaghimi A. Association Between Sexual Orientation and Lifetime Prevalence of Skin Cancer in the United States. JAMA Dermatol.Published online February 12, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2019.4196
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2760333
- Editorial: Yeung H, Braun H, Goodman M. Sexual and Gender Minority Populations and Skin Cancer—New Data and Renewed Priorities. JAMA Dermatol.Published online
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/2760336
February 12, 2020. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2019.4174
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Last Updated on February 12, 2020 by Marie Benz MD FAAD