Anal Cancer

What is Anal Cancer?

• Anal cancer is a cancer that appears on the anus, the distal opening of the digestive system
• This cancer is usually classified as a squamous cell carcinoma
  • Other possible types include small cell carcinoma, melanoma, and adenocarcinoma
• Diagnosis is conducted through biopsy and tissue examination
• The number of recognized cases has been increasing since the 1990s, with an average of around 8,300 cases diagnosed each year in the US
  • In 2002, around 30,400 new cases were recognized

How Do You Get It?

• The most important risk factor for anal cancer is infection with human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Some studies suggest that as many as 90% of cases could be linked to HPV
• Other risk factors include:
  • Smoking
  • Immunosuppression, often from HIV/AIDS
  • A large number of sexual partners
  • Receptive anal sex
  • History of vulval, vaginal, or cervical cancer
  • Women are affected at greater rates than men

What Are the Symptoms?

• Symptoms of anal cancer can include:
  • A lump near or around the anus
  • Pain or pressure from the anus or rectal area
  • Altered bowel habits
  • Anal itching
  • Anal discharge
  • Bleeding from the anus, which can be severe

How Is It Treated?

• Localized cancer can be effectively ablated with minimally invasive techniques, such as infrared photocoagulation
• The most common treatment for local disease includes a combination of chemo and radiation, which has led to improved survival rates and cures in some cases. However, some patients are rendered incontinent after this regimen
• Up to 20% of cases will develop metastases, or cancer spread to other areas of the body
  • Metastatic anal cancer is difficult to treat and chemotherapy is the most common therapy
  • Radiation is also used palliatively to target metastases causing additional symptoms
• Surgical resection of the internal and external anal sphincter, resulting in permanent colostomy, was the most common treatment in the past
• 5-year survival rates vary depending on the case, but the average is around 68% in the US

Where Can I Learn More???

• Check out Patient Worthy’s cornerstone on this disease here.
• Learn more from the Anal Cancer Foundation.

Last modified: June 24, 2024