It's not the first time that researchers have noted differences in health risks linked to sexual orientation. Gay men, of course, are at risk of becoming infected with HIV, while lesbians may be more likely than heterosexual women to get breast cancer. Both gay men and lesbians have higher rates of tobacco use than the general population, and research has shown that lesbians drink more and are more prone to obesity than other women. The study also adds to existing knowledge, but there's a lack of data about lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health in general.
Researchers examined surveys involving more than 122,000 Americans in 2001, 2003 and 2005. Among other things, the surveys asked about sexual orientation and whether the participants had ever been diagnosed with cancer. About 8 percent of the gay men in the group reported having had cancer - almost double the rate among the heterosexual and bisexual men surveyed. Lesbians didn't have a higher rate of cancer than other women, but lesbian cancer survivors were about twice as likely to report that they had fair or poor health compared to heterosexual women.
It can't be said whether gays and lesbians are more likely to develop cancer in the first place, since it doesn't include people who have died from the disease or may be too ill to answer questions. Experts already believe that gay men face a higher risk of anal, lung, testicular and immune-system cancers.
