Proctology Institute

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What is HPV? Am I at risk?

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HPV, or Human Papilloma Virus, has been in the news a great deal with the development of the Guardasil vaccine, the quadrivalent vaccine against HPV types 6,11, 16, and 18, however, most of my patients are unfamiliar with this virus, its prevalence and its potential to cause cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in the Journal of Infectious Disease, that:

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are members of the Papillomaviridae family of DNA viruses. More than 100 types have been identified; ∼40 types infect the anogenital region. Anogenital HPV types have been further classified into low-risk types (e.g., 6 and 11), which are associated with anogenital warts and mild dysplasia, and high-risk types (e.g., 16, 18, 31, and 45), which are associated with high-grade dysplasia and anogenital cancers, such as cervical and anal carcinoma. Anogenital HPV infections are the most common sexually transmitted infection; an estimated 6.2 million persons are newly infected every year in the United States [1, 2]. Most infections are asymptomatic or subclinical and become undetectable over time. (J Infect Dis. (2006) 194 (8): 1044-1057.)

Since many sexually active people are exposed to HPV during their sexual encounters beginning at a young age. High risk individuals are females with a history of an abnormal pap smear, cervical dysplasia, vaginal dysplasia, vulvar dysplasia or cervical cancer and men that have sex with men (MSM). If you are at high risk for HPV, you should get screened – it may just save your life!

The screening process involves a non-invasive swabbing of anal opening and anal canal. It is painless, quick and easy. The anal pap smear or anal cytology procedure will text for abnormalities of the cells in the anal canal as well as for high risk HPV including 16 and 18, the strains that may lead to cancer.

If the test detects dysplasia or a process where the healthy cells of the anal canal undergo abnormal cell changes which may lead to cancer, then a procedure called a High Resolution Anoscopy may be recommended to further evaluate the perianal tissue or the tissue outside the anal opening as well as the tissue in the anal canal. The tissue will be stained with acetic acid and lugols solution and viewed under a surgical microscope. Biopsies will be taken and the abnormal cells will be obliterated with thermal energy or heat, allowing new fresh healthy cells to grow.

Contact the Los Angeles and Orange County Proctology Institute and make an appointment in one of our locations in Beverly Hills, Newport Beach or Huntington Beach today if you are at high risk for HPV.

Colorectal Cancer on the Rise in Developing World

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It has long been known that rising prosperity within any nation seems to spark a concomitant rise in the so-called diseases of civilization: heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.

Researchers recently identified one particular form of cancer as the canary in the coalmine: colorectal cancer. Data shows that as wealth increases, lifestyle changes such as increased drinking, inactivity and poor diet tends to send the rate of colon or bowel cancer through the roof:

“Colorectal cancer is the clearest marker of societal and economic transition,” says Cancer epidemiologist Melina Arnold, from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, who led the study.

Also known as bowel cancer, it’s the third most common type of cancer in the world. It affected 1.4 million people in 2012 and is predicted to increase by 60%, to more than 2.2 million cases — and 1.1 million deaths — by 2030.

Stories such as these are a cautionary tale for those of us in the West for whom a sedentary lifestyle is already the norm. Thankfully the converse is true: When people engage in more active lifestyles and watch what they eat, they tend to exhibit lower rates of bowel or colorectal cancer and related diseases.

The silver lining is that a Colonoscopy may just save your life.  A Colonoscopy is a safe and effective tool in diagnosing and treating colon and rectal polyps that may lead to colon and rectal cancer. During a Colonoscopy, a long fiber optic tube with a camera at the end will be maneuvered up through the rectum and colon, typically to the cecum or the terminal ileum of the small intestine. The colonoscope has ports, allowing various instruments to be fed through it to remove or resect colon and rectal polyps. Because a Colonoscopy will allow the detection of polyps as well as the resection of the polyps in real time, it is the Gold Standard versus the Virtual Colonoscopy (CT Colonography) which detects colon polyps on a CT Scan but does not allow for the surgeon to remove them in real time.

If you are concerned about bowel cancer or colorectal cancer, especially if you have a family history of Colon and Rectal Cancer, early screening with a Colonoscopy is a must:

The key therefore is early detection and increasing opportunities for screening in all affected countries and not just the affluent ones as, according to Cross, 90% of people will survive five years if diagnosed early.

To learn more, please call us at the LA and Orange County Proctology Institute today.

Welcome to the Los Angeles and Orange County Proctology Blog!

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The Los Angeles and Orange County Proctology Institute has been in business for some time, and in those years we have earned a reputation for superior care and treatment throughout Southern California. This website is our newest effort to create a free and current body of knowledge to help inform your treatment questions about proctologic, colorectal and gastrointestinal health.

A word about the author: My name is Dr. Maziar Ghodsian, but my patients call me Dr. Maz. I am one of just two proctologic surgeons in the state of California that has completed a residency in Proctology or Proctologic Surgery. I trained at UC Riverside and Johns Hopkins, and completed a residency in Proctologic Surgery at Ohio University-Grandview Medical Center/Kettering Health Network. I also spent a portion of my time during residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and the Cleveland Clinic, training with world renowned surgeons.

I believe in treating  patients as a whole, which means I always take the time to listen to your concerns and address every question as we discuss your options for optimum care. My Los Angeles proctology practice is located in Beverly Hills and my Orange County proctology practices are located in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. The Proctology Institute offers the standard in medical treatment for a number of issues and ailments, including:

If you are experiencing discomfort or embarrassment with anal skin tags or hemorrhoids or you have pain, bleeding, swelling, or difficulty with bowel movements, do not hesitate to contact my practice for a full diagnostic workup. If you’re searching for a cosmetic solution or an improvement in anal beauty, we can help with that as well.

Please check back often, as I intend to use this space to continually address the most pressing questions in proctologic care. Welcome aboard.