[Question #8416] Massage, haemorrhoid, anal cancer

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44 months ago

Hi. I am a 25 years old circumcised male. I went to an erotic massage place in Europe around 10-15 times. 

  • In some of the sessions, there was some genital contact. When she was lying down on me to give the body to body massage, she stopped for a while, in a hug-like position and our genitals were in contact in that position for less than a minute (We didn't intentionally rub them). Same things happened when we hugged in the shower. 
  • In two of the sessions, the lady slided her finger very quickly on my butt crack after massaging my genitals (almost like what we do when we wipe but faster). This contact was very brief, a matter of seconds. 
  • A month later I realised that something I had in the openning of my anus for a long time is not normal and I need to see a doctor. It turned out to be haemorrhoid. But before going to the doctor, a couple of times in the toilet I inspected it carefully with my fingers to see what it is and where it comes from. The problem is, before that I have touched my genitals in the toilet and I might not have washed my hands.
There was mention in the forum that anal HPV is not rare in heterosexual men, and the route of transmission MIGHT be auto inoculation using hands. Also that anal cancer is 20 times more likely in MSM than in general population and male body is less likely to clear the virus. I am assuming haemorrhoid has a very sensitive skin, maybe more susceptible to HPV. 

Here are my questions:

  1. How high is the probability of getting a high risk HPV type from these events? 
  2. Am I in a high risk of anal cancer in future due to these events? Is it comparable to men who have receptive anal sex? I am really afraid of getting anal cancer out of this. 
  3. Is it reasonable to do PAP + HRA or something else to screen for anal cancer for me? Is it affordable & accessible in Europe? Without these, how can I make sure I'll know about the cancer early?
  4. Do I need to tell future partners about these? 

The fear of cancer has consumed my life for a month now

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Edward W. Hook M.D.
44 months ago
Welcome to our Forum and thanks for your questions.  I’ll be glad to comment.  Let me first try to encourage you to not worry so much about your risk for anal or rectal cancer.  While rates are increasing among men who have other men as sex partners, most are NOT going to get it, it is a slow (years) process, and detection is easy and improving.  This is not something that should cause great concern in a 25 year old.

Second, many off these cancers can be prevented with the HPV vaccine.  Given your concerns, you should get the vaccine.  It is safe and highly effective.

Third, HPV is rarely transmitted through transfer on another person’s hand, through touching or hugging, or through auto inoculation.  The presence of hemorrhoids do not change this.  Thus, in response to the questions you have asked:

1.  These were low risk events.
2.  No.  Your risk is a very small fraction of the risk compared to persons participating in receptive rectal intercourse and is not something to worry about.
3.  Nothing you have described suggests a need for an anal PAP or anoscopy.  Simply make sure your doctor includes inspection of your anus and hemorrhoids in his/her regular check ups.
4.  Absolutely no need to tell future partners of any of the events you mention above.

I hope this information and comments are helpful. EWH 
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44 months ago
Thank you very much Dr Hook. Very reassuring.

I’ve got a failure in understanding something. If the route of transmission for the virus is genital skin to skin contact, how is it that transmission is not likely with just the genitals being next to each other for a short while? Could you explain a little how small the risk for transmission is through this kind of genital touch even given the number of clients they have there?

My greatest concern is for the couple of times I used my hand for inspecting the haemorrhoid. I’m worried that I might have some virus transferred to my fingers when urinating (nothing else) and then transferred to my anus when I was checking that haemorrhoid out. In between I have used toilet paper, etc. So if it was to transfer, it should also have stayed on my hand a little. Is it even realistic for something like this to have transferred the virus? Is it equally unlikely for what the brief hand-anus contact with that lady? (sliding her hand there very quickly without penetration right after massaging the genitals).

Is rectal cancer also attributable to Hpv or is it just anal cancer? I got a bit scared. The rates of rectal cancer is much higher than the other one.

Do these events meaningfully change my cancer risk compared to an average straight man? I’ve had no kind of anal contact except what I described here.
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44 months ago
Just to add to the last comments, this was even less than one second => (sliding her hand there very quickly without penetration right after massaging the genitals)
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
44 months ago
The virus is transmitted through mucosal, not skin contact.  No one has ever been proven to have acquired HIV from the sort exposure you describe.

Your focus on rectal and anal cancer, both of which are HPV related is unwarranted as I already explained.  Please don’t worry. EWH 
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44 months ago
Sorry. Just one last thing…  In your last comment when you wrote hiv, did you mean hpv? 
Thank you very much for your time

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Edward W. Hook M.D.
44 months ago
I apologize for the typographical error. I meant HPV, not HIV. EWH---
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44 months ago
Also is the fold of skin covering the opening of vagina (labia minora I think) muscosal? If my penis was in contact with that area, in the situation I described (she laying down on me), will it have any effect on your judgement?

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44 months ago
Just from looking at it I think even for that skin it’s the inside of the skin and the more inner areas that might transmit something, not the outside. Am I correct?
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44 months ago
In the first message when I said hug like position, it was body to body with me on the bed and she lying down on me with my hands around her, and I was feeling the genitals being next to one another for a while. Maybe in touch with the opening of vagina.  Is it still the case that there has been no proved case acquired this way? Isn’t it mucosal contact?

Excuse me that I didn’t merge the last comments into one. This is my last comment. Feel free to close the thread when you see fit.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
44 months ago
Final responses:

Sigh.  Your misplaced anxiety is in overdrive.  You need penetration for meaningful risk.  Your anxiety-driven “what” if questions serve no purpose.  The labia majors are not vaginal mucosa.  Your risk for HIV from the exposure you describe was nonexistent and your risk for HPV/ano-rectal cancer is minuscule.   Please relax and move forward.  If you cannot, I suggest you seek counseling for your unwarranted concerns.

Take care. EWH 
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