Only 11 percent of HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) get anal pap smears to test for anal cancer or precancerous cell changes, aidsmap reports. And despite the fact that this group is at greater risk for human papillomavirus (HPV), abnormal cell changes in the anus and anal cancer, there are still no associated national screening guidelines.

Presenting their findings at IDWeek 2016 in New Orleans, researchers studied data on HIV-positive MSM from the 2009 to 2012 Medical Monitoring Project, which follows people living with HIV.

A respective 7 percent, 12 percent and 13 percent of black, Latino and white men were screened for anal cancer. Ten percent of smokers were screened, compared with 12 percent of nonsmokers. Thirteen percent of those who reported receptive anal sex were screened, compared with 10 percent of those who did not report anal sex.

Factors linked with a higher likelihood of receiving screening included being white rather than black, having more frequent viral load tests, having more education, not smoking, having anal sex and receiving care from a clinic with a large HIV patient population.

To read the aidsmap article, click here.

To read the conference abstract, click here.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated.