Gays have higher cancer risk?

Gay men are nearly twice as likely to report that they've had cancer as heterosexual men, according to a US health survey published in Cancer.

Written byJef Akst

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Gay men are nearly twice as likely to report that they've had cancer as heterosexual men, according to a US health survey published in Cancer. Lesbians and bisexual female cancer survivors also report more health problems than heterosexual women in remission. Why such statistics would vary with sexual orientation, however, remains unclear, says study author Ulrike Boehmer of the Boston University School of Public Health. It could be that more gay men are diagnosed with cancer, for example, or that more gay men are surviving to tell about it. (Hat tip to FierceBiotech)

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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