Let’s talk about your patient’s anus: Doctor on his campaign to end the silence and shame
Professor Richard Hillman says reluctance to open up on 'almost the last taboo' contributes to late presentations of anal cancer.
When Professor Richard Hillman was a boy, a future as one of Australia’s leading anal cancer doctors was not top of his list of dream careers.
He also never pictured himself discussing anal cancer symptoms in front of 100 naked men gathered around a swimming pool at a gay nudist event.
But he says he will go anywhere, anytime to talk about the need for people to open up about their anuses. As such, turning up at a gay nudist event (he was fully clothed by the way) is exactly what he has done.
Shame and silence always render medicine difficult. The reluctance to talk about the body part with their GPs leads too many patients to ignore early signs of anal cancer and contributes to late presentations.
