Anal Cancer Reseacrh
By: Giovanni Morales
What is Cancer?
Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells divide uncontrollably and destroy body tissue. Cancer begins when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many types of cancer, but they all start because of this out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.
What is Anal Cancer?
Anal Cancer is a disease/type of cancer in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the anus.
What part of the body does Anal Cancer affect?
Anal Cancer affects the anus or sometimes the area around the anus.
What specific things/exposures can lead to this type of cancer?
There isn't an exact cause of this cancer but there are some risk factors. Most anal cancers are linked to infection with the HPV. Other risk factors would be lowered immunity, smoking, sexual activity, and HIV infections.
What are the symptoms, how do you know you have this disease?
Sometimes anal cancer causes no symptoms at all. But bleeding is often the first sign of the disease. If that's not the first sign, you usually feel pain in your anus.
- rectal bleeding
- rectal itching
- a lump at the anal opening
- pain in the anal area
- abnormal discharge from the anus
What are the treatments, what is the survival rate for people with this disease?
Treatments may include- radiation therapy and chemotherapy, sometimes even surgery
The survival rate of anal cancer depends of the type of stage you're in. For example, if you're in stage 1, you're survival rate for living another 5 years is 71%. If you're in stage 2, you're survival rate is 64%, and it goes on like that.
- Stage 3A: 48%
- Stage3B: 43%
- Stage 4: 21%