Facts about anal cancer

Anal cancer is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the anal canal of the body. It is much less common than other cancers in that area of the body such as colon cancer or rectal cancer. In 2014, there were about 7,270 cases of anal cancer and about 1,010 deaths from the disease. Anal cancer is mostly found in older people. The average age of diagnosis is in the early 60s. It is much rarer for people to develop anal cancer younger than 35.

There is about a 1 in 500 chance of developing anal cancer in ones’ lifetime. Women have a higher risk of developing the disease compared to men. Signs and symptoms of anal cancer include bleeding from the anus or rectum, pain in the area of the anus, a mass or growth in the anal canal, and anal itching.

There are a number of factors that increase your risk of developing anal cancer. They include:

·         Gender. Anal cancer is more common among women than men.

·         Lowered immune system (as a result of AIDS, having had an organ transplant that requires multiple medications that lower the immune system)

·         Multiple sex partners. Men and women who have multiple sex partners over their lifetimes have a greater risk of anal cancer.

·         Race/ethnicity. Anal cancer is more common among African-American men.

·         Older age. Most cases of anal cancer occur in people age 50 and older.

·         Smoking. Smoking cigarettes may increase your risk of anal cancer.

·         Human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that causes genital warts. It also increases your risk of certain cancers including anal cancer and cervical cancer.

·         Anal sex. Men and women who engage in anal sex have an increased risk of anal cancer.

To diagnose anal cancer, your doctor may perform various tests or procedures including a digital rectal exam, an anoscopy to check for any abnormalities in the anal canal or rectum, anal ultrasound, or an anal biopsy.

Anal cancer is most often treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. While this combination of therapies increases the chance of being cured, it also increase the risk of side effects. Chemotherapy drugs are injected into a vein or taken as pills and the chemicals are spread out throughout the body which destroy growing cancer cells. Radiation therapy uses high-powered X-ray beams to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy for anal cancer usually lasts for five or six weeks.

Another option for treatment of anal cancer is surgery. The type of surgery performed depends on the stage of the cancer. One option may be surgery to remove early-stage anal cancers. This is when very small anal cancers are removed. Another option is surgery for late-stage anal cancers or anal cancers that haven't responded to other treatments. This is a more extensive type of surgery called abdominoperineal resection where the anal canal, rectum and a portion of the colon are removed.