Anal cancer should not be confused with colorectal cancer. Whereas colorectal cancer affects the whole large intestine and the rectum, the anal cancer affects only the beginning of the rectum.
Each year, more than 8,000 Americans are diagnosed with anal cancer. It is expected that 1,000 of them will die from it. Statistically, one of every four people who suffer from anal cancer has been diagnosed after the disease has spread to lymph nodes, and one of every ten people has been diagnosed after it has spread to other organs. Although the cases of anal cancer are not as frequent like the other types of cancer such as colon, rectal, or colorectal cancer, the number of people who suffer from it has grown rapidly in the last decade.
The Symptoms of Anal Cancer!
It is very difficult to detect the presence of anal cancer in its earliest stages because most symptoms are not present during that time. However, as cancer progresses, it usually causes many different symptoms such as pain and itching in the anus, anal bleeding, unusual discharge from the anus, a lump outside the anus, and unusual bowel movements.
The cause of anal cancer remains unclear in most cases, but still, there are many factors that can increase the risk of developing anal cancer, like frequent irritation of the anus, smoking, and a weakened immune system. People who are at higher risk of developing anal cancer are the ones who are older than 60 years. 80 percent of the cases have been detected in people who belong to this category. Men under 35 are at higher risk to develop this uncommon disease when compared women who belong to the same age category. However, after the age of 50, women are at higher risk of developing anal cancer.
How to Detect Anal Cancer Early?
Detecting anal cancer during its early stages is decisive in overcoming it. There are many procedures that can detect the presence of anal cancer. Here are some of them:
- Digital Rectal Exam – The doctor first looks at the outside of the anus to find out whether you have hemorrhoids or fissures. Then, he puts on a latex glove and inserts a lubricated finger into the rectum to search for lumps or any other abnormalities.
- Anoscopy – This is a method when a small, tubular instrument called an anoscope is inserted a few inches into the anus so the doctor can determine whether you have anal fissures, anal polyps, hemorrhoids, infection, or tumors. The doctor will perform this procedure only if he finds something abnormal during the digital rectal exam.
- Biopsies, ultrasounds, x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and PET scans are all procedures that can be used to detect the presence of anal cancer. However, all of these procedures are surrounded by controversies as a result of many studies which suggest that they either spread or cause cancer.
source: http://familylifegoals.com
