Cancer

Cancer affects all the organs in the human body, even the ones you do not normally talk about. Anal cancer is a very rare type of cancer and it is in the same category with the more common colorectal cancer, being about 1-2 % of all the gastro-intestinal cancers. In this case the cancer affects only the anus in the beginning, that is the part of the bowel that is located at the exit of our body, where the stool gets out. It is a very narrow part and it is continued on the inside with the rectum, that can also be affected by cancer in the rectal cancer. These two are different types of cancers , but share the same signs and symptoms. Even if it is pretty rare, the mortality rate of the cancer of the anus is quite high and this is caused by the shame people feel when they have problems in the area of the anus and they avoid going to the doctor until it is too late for them to be saved.

The anal canal is a short part of the body that is surrounded by muscles that are contracted and keep the contents inside. The studies made and statistics showed an increased possibility of getting anal cancer if you are a smoker, you are infected with HPV (human papilloma virus), you are over 50 years of age, you have anal sex, you have an immunosuppression treatment - for example you had a transplant you take immunosupressors and this causes a lowered immunity. Also people who have chronic local infections, anal fistulas and open wounds or those who have pelvic radiation for other types of cancer are more likely to develop anal cancer.



In the first stage of the cancer it does not show any kinds of symptoms, but later the people affected might experience bloating and usually a change in their bowel habit. They may bleed rectally, experience itching or discharge. Sometimes if the women are the ones affected, they may feel a pressure in their lower back or in the low part of the abdomen , which is caused by the tumour pressing on their vagina.

In the early stages surgery is enough to cure the disease, the doctors removing the tumour together with the affected tissue surrounding it. In the later stages of cancer of the anus, surgery is not enough and specialists recommend a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This can sometimes preserve the sphincter that is removed otherwise. It is very unpleasant to have the sphincter removed together with the anus because this leads to stool incontinence, so the patient will have to carry a bag or have a total colostomy.



Starting with stage number three, the anal cancer starts spreading first to the surrounding tissue and the lymph nodes that are situated in the inguinal area and then to more remote areas through the lymphatic system. Unlike the other types of cancer, cancer of the anus very rarely uses the blood to spread in the body.

Farrah Fawcett is  one famous person who died of anal cancer last year, the same day as Michael Jackson.