Details of Anal Cancer

When cancer cells form into benign or malignant tumors in the tissues of the anus canal, anal cancer has occurred.The anus canal is a short tube at the end of your rectum through which stool leaves your body.

• Bleeding from the anus or rectum.
• Pain in the area of the anus.
• A mass or growth in the anal canal.
• Anal itching.

• Human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection.
• Other cancers.

These tests may be done: 

• Biopsy.
• Anal Pap smears can also be used to test for anal cancer.
• Pelvic exams for both.
• Examining your anal canal and rectum for abnormalities.

Treatments:

Surgery: Very small anal cancers may be removed through surgery. During this procedure, the surgeon removes the tumor and a small amount of healthy tissue that surrounds it.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can be used to kill cancer cells and prevent them from growing. It can be injected into the body or taken orally.

Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams, such as X-rays and protons, to kill cancer cells.

Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy uses your immune system to fight cancer. Your body's disease-fighting immune system may not attack your cancer because the cancer cells produce proteins that make them undetectable by the immune system cells. Immunotherapy works by interfering with that process.

Factors to increase the risk of anal cancer, including:

• Older age.
• Many sexual partners.
• Anal sex. Smoking.
• History of cancer.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV).