Anal Cancer
Description
Anal cancer is a rare type of cancer in which cells in the anus grow out of control.
The anus is the organ that connects the intestine to the outside of the body to pass stool.
It accounts only for 4% of lower gastrointestinal cancers, affecting 2-3 people per 100,000, and it’s 1.6 times more likely to affect women compared to men.
Symptoms
Patients with anal cancer may suffer from:
- Anal or rectal bleeding
- Mass around the anus
- Pain or pressure around the anus
- Itching in the anus
- Presence of discharges from the anus
- Having a problem controlling the stool
- Weight loss
If you experienced persistent symptoms of anal cancer,
visit your gastroenterologist who may direct you to an oncologist.
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View MoreCauses
The most common cause of anal cancer is a sexually transmitted viral infection called “Human papillomavirus” and it’s associated with 90% of anal cancer cases, however being infected with this virus doesn’t mean that you will get anal cancer for sure.
Risk factors for anal cancer are:
- Age-People with age >75 years
- Smoking
- Weak immunity- Due to using certain medications after solid organ transplants or being infected with human immunodeficiency virus
- Female gender
- History of vaginal or cervical cancer
Diagnostics
Check with your doctor if you notice any symptoms. The following tests and procedures are the main used ones:
Digital rectal examination: A physical examination of the rectum is done by the doctor to see if there’re any lumps or anything unusual.
Endoscopy: Using a tube with a camera and lens to examine the anus.
Ultrasound: A probe is inserted into the anus or rectum and uses waves to form a picture of the body tissues.
Biopsy: Removing a small part of the tissue to be tested in the laboratory to confirm the diagnosis.
Staging
Determining the stage of anal cancer depends on the size of the tumor, involvement of lymph nodes, and spreading to other parts of the body. It has stages from zero to four. stage four is the most severe one and indicates that cancer has spread to different organs.
Treatment
Anal cancer can be treated if it was diagnosed in an early stage. Choosing the appropriate treatment depends on the size of the tumor, location, spreading, and the patient's general health.
Treatment options are:
Chemoradiation: This is a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy and is considered the main therapy for anal cancer.
Chemotherapy: A type of medicine that kills cancer cells. Your doctor may prescribe one called Fluorouracil.
Radiotherapy: Radiation that kills cancer cells.
Surgery: Removing part of the anal canal that contains the tumor. It can be used in some cases when the tumor is small and not spreading or if the patient can’t be exposed to radiation or chemotherapy.
