Philadelphia’s First Anal Health Symposium is a half day symposium addressing the need for discourse around the best practices and standard of care as they pertain to prevention, and treatment of anal dysplasia which can lead to anal cancer if not treated. The symposium will address the needs of those living with HIV, and analyze whether or not this population is at a heightened risk, and should be screened ubiquitously. An opening lecture will present what do we mean by anal health and wellness for PLWH?; who’s at risk for anal cancer and why; current prevention, screening guidelines; diagnostic methods, latest statistics on HPV and anal cancer, treatment, and issues or challenges around anal health and wellness that medical providers are seeing.

The Opening Lecture will be followed by two breakout sessions, one geared toward medical providers and the other inclusive of both medical providers and community members.

Breakout session 1: For Medical Providers

At this breakout session, attendees will gain expert knowledge from a panel of physician medical providers with extensive experience diagnosing and treating anal cancer. In this session physicians in the fields of infectious diseases, oncology, and colorectal surgery will discuss diagnosis, staging, and treatment of anal cancer, discuss the role of the practitioner in screening for anal dysplasia and anal cancer, what roles surgeons can play in treatment and prevention and bring awareness to the available treatment and prevention options.

Breakout session 2: For Medical Providers and the wider community

In this session, attendees will gain knowledge on a variety of anal health diseases, prevention and risk reduction strategies for those engaging in anal sex, appropriate communication among providers and patients around anal sex and anal health, anal health care policies, and sensitivity around delivering and supporting patients around anal cancer diagnosis from a patient perspective. This session will be presented in lay language, and center the perspectives of those at risk for anal cancer.

This is a free event, and breakfast and lunch will be served.