Anal cancer is a rare cancer that can develop anywhere in the anus - the final part of your body's digestive system. It most commonly starts in cells called squamous cells, which protect the anal canal. This type of cancer is called squamous cell anal cancer. Despite being a rare cancer, rates are rising - with around 1500 people in the UK diagnosed every year. It is critical that we research anal cancer more to understand how it develops, so that we can find innovative new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat this disease.
Is anal cancer curable?
Like all cancers, the sooner anal cancer is spotted, the easier it is to treat. Overall, around 6 in 10 patients will survive their diagnosis for 5 years or more. When it is detected early, before it has a chance to spread, this survival rate rises to almost 9 in 10 people.
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with anal cancer, individual outlook will vary depending on a number of factors - including the stage of the cancer, the exact type of cancer and how well you respond to treatment. Always speak to your oncology team if you have questions.
Most anal cancers are caused by a virus called HPV (Human papillomavirus). HPV can also cause other cancers including cervical cancer. Thanks to research, screening programmes that work by detecting HPV have considerably reduced the number of cervical cancer cases, but the same has not happened for anal cancer.
We need more research to develop screening methods for anal cancer and to make breakthroughs towards better, kinder treatments for this devastating disease.
What type of cancer is anal cancer?
Anal cancer is cancer that starts in the anus, the opening at the end of your bowel. It is different to bowel cancer and needs different cures, particularly because anal cancer is mainly caused by the HPV virus.
Around 80% of patients with anal cancer have squamous cell anal cancer, which is when the cancer starts in squamous cells in the lining of your anal canal - which links the anus to the rectum.
Other types of anal cancer include adenocarcinoma, which develops in glandular cells which make mucus, and mucosal melanoma, a type of skin cancer that very rarely starts in the anus.
How does anal cancer develop?
Most anal cancer is caused by an infection called human papillomavirus (HPV). However, it is possible to be affected by HPV and not develop cancer - in fact, a lot of people have HPV at some point, and don't ever realise.
A small number of HPV infections do go on to cause cancer to develop. If you have a weakened immune system, or if you smoke, it can make it harder for your body to get rid of HPV. HPV vaccination is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of anal cancer, and it also helps to reduce the risk of other cancers - including cervical cancer.
Who is more likely to develop anal cancer?
Anal cancer has been found to be more common in women, and it also disproportionately affects people living with HIV, and men who have sex with men.
You may also be more likely to get anal cancer if:
- You have a HPV infection.
- You have a history of cervical or vaginal cancer.
- You have a lowered immune response.
- You smoke.
- You are over 75.
What are the symptoms of anal cancer?
Symptoms for anal cancer may vary, and are often similar to other conditions including haemorrhoids. If you have any worries at all, please speak to your doctor as soon as possible. Symptoms can include:
- Bleeding from your bottom, or seeing blood in your poo.
- Pain or itching around your bottom.
- Small lumps around, or inside your anus.
- Changes in your bowel habits, or problems controlling your bowel movements.
- Discharge or mucus from your anus.
How is anal cancer diagnosed?
There are a few tests that may be done to check if you have anal cancer, including blood tests, a rectal examination to feel for lumps or swelling, and testing for blood in your poo using a test called FIT. You may also have an anoscopy, which involves putting a thin tube inside your anus to check for any changes, and a biopsy, which is a small sample that is taken and sent to a lab to be looked at under a microscope.
Combining all of these tests together helps to build up a picture of what is happening in your body, so that doctors are able to determine the best way forward for you in your treatment plan.
How is anal cancer treated?
Anal cancer is often treatable if it is found early. The treatment you receive will depend on a few different factors including the size of the cancer, where it is exactly, and whether it has spread at all.
The most common treatment for anal cancer is chemoradiation, which is a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Sometimes just chemotherapy or radiation are used alone and occasionally surgery is used to remove the cancer.
Although anal cancer often responds well to treatment, patients can experience challenging side effects including fatigue, diarrhoea and soreness as well as changes in libido and fertility.
That’s why research into anal cancer is still critical, to help improve the quality of life for people affected.
Why is more research into anal cancer needed?
Rarer cancers, like anal cancer, can too often be under-funded and under-researched.
That's why Worldwide Cancer Research, as a cancer charity, chooses to fund research into any type of cancer, anywhere in the world. We support scientists around the world who are looking into new cures for all cancer types, including anal cancer.
Dr Gary Clifford, for example, is exploring the possibility of developing an effective and non-invasive test for anal cancer which could make new early-screening programmes possible. Thanks to Curestarter support, his innovative research could help protect high-risk individuals and catch cases of anal cancer earlier, making treatment more effective and preventing lives from being cut short.
Your anal cancer FAQs:
What is anal cancer?
Anal cancer is a rare type of cancer that starts in the anus, the opening at the end of your bowel. The most common type of anal cancer is squamous cell anal cancer.
Can anal cancer spread to other parts of the body?
A lot of the time, anal cancer can be treated successfully before it spreads, however it can rarely spread to other organs, usually the lungs or the liver.
Why is anal cancer considered to be a rare cancer?
There are over 200 different types of cancer and some are more common than others. Cancer is called rare when it only affects a small number of people. Anal cancer affects around 1500 people a year in the UK whereas breast cancer, the most common cancer in the UK, was diagnosed in around 59,000 people in 2022.
What research is being done into anal cancer?
Worldwide Cancer Research is supporting Dr Gary Clifford and his team, who want to design a new test that can detect anal cancer early, so that more people with the disease can receive treatment while it is still curable and before their disease has advanced.
How does Worldwide Cancer Research help fund anal cancer research?
Thanks to you, we fund international cancer research into any type of cancer. This includes research into rare cancers including anal cancer as well as more common cancers like breast cancer. While some cancers have seen dramatic improvements in survival rates over recent years, others have not, so we need more research to help everyone affected around the world.
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