Medindia » Consumer Health » Health Information » Anal Cancer - Treatment

Anal Cancer

Rating : 4.39 /5
Rate this Article:

Treatment of Anal Cancer

RSS Feeds   Text 
The preferred treatment for anal / ano-rectal cancer is chemotherapy and radiation. Side effects of this treatment include inflammation of the anus with ulcer formation, narrowing and damage to the lining. Other side effects are diarrhea and damage to the bone marrow. Surgery is indicated under following circumstances -

The cancer is very small and superficial - in this case, only the growth is removed

The cancer has spread to other parts of the body

The sphincter function of the anus is lost

The patient cannot tolerate radiation

The cancer recurs

In the latter four cases, the anal growth is removed with a part of the intestine, the anus is closed, and the lower end of the intestine is brought out through the abdomen through a surgical opening called a colostomy. The feces that exit through this opening are collected in a disposable bag attached to the abdomen.

Though chemotherapy and radiation have their side effects, their cure rate is similar to that of surgery. The patient can thus avoid a colostomy and have a better quality of life.

Combining various types of treatment depends on the stage of the cancer.

In Stage 0 cancer - surgical removal of the abnormal area is adequate.

Stages I, II and III, are treated with radiation with/without chemotherapy. Surgery is carried out in these cases if the tumor is small and has not spread, or if it has recurred.

Treatment of stage IV does not result in a cure. Surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy may be administered to reduce the patient’s symptoms.

The patient should undergo regular examinations even after apparent cure to prevent cancer recurrence.
Advertisement

EmailEmail RSS FeedsRSS Feeds Print this pagePrint Save this pageSave LinkLink SyndicateSyndicate
Share it!

Related Links

Colorectal Cancer


Colo-rectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men. Simple tests can help with early detection of the cancer and better surgical ...

Colo-rectal cancer - Management


Treatment for Colorectal Cancers may involve surgery,chemotherapy, radiation therapy or biological therapy. Some people require a combination of ...

Ulcerative Colitis


Ulcerative colitis is characterized by bouts of diarrhea, bleeding per rectum and pain, which remits and relapses. Fulminant colitis is a ...

Quiz on Colon


Are you suffering from a migraine? It is possible that you have an unhealthy bowel. Strange - but true! This quiz is packed with information on the ...

Digestive System


digestion, where the complex and large food particles are broken down into simpler, smaller and soluble molecules then absorbed into the cells of the ...

Colonoscopy Procedure - Animation


An animation of Colonoscopy that shows the appearance of large intestine or colon by using a thin and flexible viewing tube called the ...

Crohns Disease


Crohn's disease or regional enteritis is an inflammatory bowel disease that involves the small intestine and causes abdominal pain, diarrhea and ...

Diseases/Disorders of the Digestive System


The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a common evaluation system for those wanting to get an initial license to practice ...
Comment & Contribute
Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters

Notify me when reply is posted
I agree to the terms and conditions
  
If you have a question about health related issues, you can now post it in our Ask An Expert section on our community website Medwonders.com and get answers from our panel of experts.
X
Citing this Health Article
The information on Medindia is factual, unbiased and authentic. If you find the content useful - PLEASE INCLUDE A LINK TO THIS PAGE.

Highlight the text, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.

Latest News/Research of Anal Cancer
 Anti-HIV Gel Safe and Acceptable to Prevent HIV from Anal Sex
 Social Media can Encourage Safe Sex by Promoting Condom Use in Young Adults
 HIV Tied To Rise in Anal Cancer in US Males
 Study Shows Practice of Safe Sex Among Gays Varies by Race
 Study Finds Rise in Anal Cancer Rates Among HIV-Positive Women
 Safe Sex Initiative Backed by Kelly Rowland
 Most Anal Pre-Cancers Prevented by HPV Vaccine
 GSK's Cervarix may Reduce Risk of Anal Cancer in Women
 Bio-engineered Anal Sphincters
 Human Cells Used To Engineer Lab Versions Of Functional Anal Sphincters
Total News Item 35