Anal cancer

Saturday 31 March, 2007

Reviewed by: Melisa Darby, cancer nurse, RN,BN, Grad. Cert. Cancer Nursing

What's the anus?

The anus is the last 2cm of the bowel and the muscular ‘ring' at the end of the rectum, which opens to allow solid wastes to exit the body.

What's anal cancer?

Anal cancer is an uncommon cancer affecting the tissues of the anus .

How common is anal cancer?

Anal cancer is rare. It's most common in people aged 50 to 60 years, and is more common in women than men.

Causes of anal cancer

Some risk factors for anal cancer include diseases that are transmitted sexually, such as chlamydia, genital warts, human papilloma virus and others. HIV/AIDS can also put people at higher risk.

Signs and symptoms of anal cancer

Sometimes there are no symptoms at first. Bleeding and discomfort in the area are common symptoms. Other symptoms include pain, itching, straining during a bowel movement, change in bowel habits, change in the diameter of the stool, discharge from the anus, and swollen lymph nodes in the anal or groin area.

If you have one of these symptoms, but haven't been diagnosed with this cancer, remember that it's rare, and your symptom is likely to be caused by something else. But see your doctor if any symptoms persist for more than 2 weeks.

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