National guidelines for preventing anal cancer in people with HIV informed by UCSF study.

Introduction/background: New recommendations for screening and treatment of anal cancer precursor lesions in people with HIV are based on a major national study led at UCSF.

Results from a national study led by UC San Francisco informed the first federal guidelines in the United States to detect and treat anal cancer precursor lesions in people with HIV.

The guidelines were published by a panel of experts in HIV care, utilizing findings from the ANCHOR trial led by Dr. Joel M. Palefsky.

The ANCHOR trial found that routine screening for and removal of precancerous anal lesions could significantly reduce the risk of anal cancer, especially in individuals with HIV.