About Us
Luna Wellness brings evidence-based HPV education into the light.
We focus on HPV prevention, vaccination, screening, and HPV-related cancers, with particular expertise in anal health and anal cancer prevention.
Our goal is simple: less stigma, better information, earlier prevention, and fewer HPV-related cancers.
Prevent Today vs. Treat Tomorrow
“HPV is a ubiquitous virus of the lower genital tract.”
You’ve probably heard that there are over 100 Human Papilloma Viruses (HPV). Did you know that high-risk HPV-related cancers are mostly preventable with the HPV vaccine meant to protect against 9 high and low-risk HPV types? If we slow HPV infection, we reduce the risk of HPV-associated anal, cervical, vulvar, vaginal, penile, and head and neck cancers.
“Did I miss my chance to get the HPV vaccine?”
The 9-valent HPV vaccine available in the US protects against diseases caused by nine types of human papillomavirus (HPV): types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. The vaccine helps prevent cervical, vaginal, vulvar, anal, and certain head and neck cancers, as well as genital warts. HPV 2-vaccine series is now recommended starting at 9 through 15 and the 3-vaccine series for those 16-45 years of age, people living with immunocompromised conditions such HIV, use of long-term steroids and biologic medications .
“I thought it was a hemorrhoid—anal cancer never entered my consciousness.”
High-risk subtypes of HPV, specifically, 16 and 18 cause most anal and cervical cancers. HPV 16 causes 70%+ of anal cancers. Some of these infections remain active while others lie dormant for years or decades. It is hard to know which infections will persist and evolve into pre-cancer and cancer. The best hope to prevent cancer once a high-risk HPV subtype has been detected is to look for evidence of pre-cancer through cytology (Pap) and confirm it with a High Resolution Anoscopy (HRA)-guided biopsy. The multi-site ANCHOR study published in 2022 provided evidence that treating anal pre-cancers (dysplasia) can help prevent progression to anal cancer, especially in those with reduced immune function.
“Prevention of one instance of disease in one person is worth pursuing.”
Vaccination and screening have been instrumental in the United States in reducing the rate of new cervical cancers. Despite this, head and neck cancers have surged, particularly in men over 35, and are now the fastest growing HPV-related cancer in our country. There is no current established screening protocol for high-risk oropharyngeal HPV. The anal cancer incidence is increasing, especially in women over 50, gay men and trans women with HIV and those who have had organ transplants.
According to the American Cancer Society, there are an estimated 10,540 new anal cancer cases (3,360 in men and 7,180 in women) and about 2,190 deaths (1,000 in men and 1,190 in women). 1 in 500 individuals has a lifetime risk of developing anal cancer.
“So for me that’s where it’s really, you know, breaking down barriers. That it is, whatever the health thing you’re looking at—it’s a human thing. It’s not a gay thing, a straight thing, it’s not a male thing or a woman thing, it’slooking at it from a human stance that I think is such an importance in our society today.
“There’s a comfort level that comes with education. I mean he’s been a big advocate for me over the years and I’m learning that knowledge is power. I think we often live in a scenario that if we don’t talk about it, it doesn’t happen. You know, or, if we don’t talk about it, it won’t happen to me. That’s where to me it’s like talking about our bodies is so important.”
