The Symptoms, Causes, and Cure of Anal Cancer?

What is Anal Cancer?

The term cancer refers uncontrolled cellular growth. This uncontrolled growth leads to the formation of tumors that left untreated can be life threatening. In the case of anal cancer, cells within the anal canal grow out of control. Initially, the cancer is localized to the anus but eventually can spread (metastasize) to the surrounding tissues of the intestinal tract.

The onset of anal cancer can be slow and almost unnoticeable. It starts innocently enough. John began to feel itching around the anus. Naturally he thought it was his hemorrhoids acting up again. As time passed, the itching gave way to pain and some bleeding. Still believing it was just a bad case of hemorrhoids, John treated the problem with sitz baths and over-the-counter medication. Eventually a lesion opened, leaking foul drainage. At that point, John thought he should see his doctor. Unfortunately, the diagnosis was so much more than hemorrhoids: John had anal cancer.

Three Types of Standard Treatment Are Used

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly into the spinal column, an organ, or a body cavity such as the abdomen, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas (regional chemotherapy). The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.

Surgery

• Local resection: A surgical procedure in which the tumor is cut from the anus along with some of the healthy tissue around it. Local resection may be used if the cancer is small and has not spread. This procedure may save the sphincter muscles so the patient can still control bowel movements. Tumors that develop in the lower part of the anus can often be removed with local resection.
   

• Abdominoperineal resection: A surgical procedure in which the anus, the rectum, and part of the sigmoid colon are removed through an incision made in the abdomen. The doctor sews the end of the intestine to an opening, called a stoma, made in the surface of the abdomen so body waste can be collected in a disposable bag outside of the body. This is called a colostomy. Lymph nodes that contain cancer may also be removed during this operation.

  Anal cancer surgery with colostomy. The anus, rectum, and part of the colon are removed, a stoma is created, and a colostomy bag is attached to the stoma.

Having the human immunodeficiency virus can affect treatment of anal cancer. Cancer therapy can further damage the already weakened immune systems of patients who have the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For this reason, patients who have anal cancer and HIV are usually treated with lower doses of anticancer drugs and radiation than patients who do not have HIV.

New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials. This summary section describes treatments that are being studied in clinical trials. It may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Radiosensitizers

Radiosensitizers are drugs that make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining radiation therapy with radiosensitizers may kill more tumor cells. Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.

For some patients, taking part in a clinical trial may be the best treatment choice. Clinical trials are part of the cancer research process. Clinical trials are done to find out if new cancer treatments are safe and effective or better than the standard treatment.

Many of today's standard treatments for cancer are based on earlier clinical trials. Patients who take part in a clinical trial may receive the standard treatment or be among the first to receive a new treatment. Patients who take part in clinical trials also help improve the way cancer will be treated in the future. Even when clinical trials do not lead to effective new treatments, they often answer important questions and help move research forward.

Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment. Some clinical trials only include patients who have not yet received treatment. Other trials test treatments for patients whose cancer has not gotten better. There are also clinical trials that test new ways to stop cancer from recurring (coming back) or reduce the side effects of cancer treatment.

Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the country. See the Treatment Options section that follows for links to current treatment clinical trials. These have been retrieved from NCI's clinical trials database.

Follow-up tests may be needed.

Some of the tests that were done to diagnose the cancer or to find out the stage of the cancer may be repeated. Some tests will be repeated in order to see how well the treatment is working. Decisions about whether to continue, change, or stop treatment may be based on the results of these tests. This is sometimes called re-staging.

Some of the tests will continue to be done from time to time after treatment has ended. The results of these tests can show if your condition has changed or if the cancer has recurred (come back). These tests are sometimes called follow-up tests or check-ups.

Farrah Fawcett Battle with Anal Cancer
In September 2006, Farrah Fawcett began her long journey with anal cancer, a rare disease that affects only 5,000 people in the U.S. each year. Anal cancer is diagnosed more often in women than in men and is associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Following her cancer diagnosis, Fawcett immediately began radiation treatment and chemotherapy, which are standard treatments for anal cancer. She issued this statement at the time of her diagnosis: "I am resolutely strong and I am determined to bite the bullet and fight the fight while going through the next six weeks of cutting-edge, state-of-the-art treatment. I should be able to return to my life as it was before at the end of my treatment." After completing the six-week treatment course, the actress was reportedly in good spirits and optimistic about her future.

Five months after Farrah was diagnosed with cancer, she was declared cancer-free. Unfortunately, during a routine checkup in May 2007, a malignant polyp was discovered, indicating that the cancer had returned. Only 15 percent of of people treated for anal cancer experience a recurrence like Farrah experienced -- it is commonly a curable disease.

Later in 2007, Fawcett sought alternative cancer treatment in Germany -- a combination of chemotherapy and alternative healing treatments. She remained very private about her treatment regimen and released little details about her progress. Since being diagnosed, the actress has been a target of the tabloids and papparazzi who have often speculated on her condition solely based on her appearance. Fawcett even had her medical records breached by a healthcare worker at UCLA, so it is no wonder why she has chosen to to battle cancer with such privacy.

She continued to receive treatment in Germany to battle the further spread of the cancer, which metastasized to her liver. Upon returning home from Germany in April 2009, Fawcett checked herself into a Los Angeles hospital igniting rumors that she was on her deathbed. According to Farrah's physcian, Lawrence Piro, Farrah was admitted not because of the cancer, but of complications resulting from a procedure done in Germany.

The doctor also addressed reports stating Fawcett has been seen in a wheelchair upon her return from Germany. Pico insists this has nothing to do with the cancer, but from discomfort from her surgery.

On June 25, 2009, Farrah's battle with cancer ended. She died at a Santa Monica hospital with her longtime love interest Ryan O'Neill by her side. She was 62. Farrah is survived by her son Redmond O'Neill.

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