Guest Author - Rhonda Cravey

Anal Cancer Prevention

Since it really isn’t known what causes all cases of anal cancer it is not possible to prevent it completely. Therefore, it is important to catch anal cancer early. Notify your physician if you have any of the signs and symptoms of anal cancer, especially if you also have some of the associated risk factors.

Stages of Anal Cancer

Stage 0 – Earliest stage of anal cancer which involves cancer only in the top layer of the anal tissue.

Stage 1 – The cancer has spread beyond the top layer of the anal tissue and is smaller than 2 cm (about the size of a peanut).

Stage 2 – The cancer has spread beyond the top layer of the anal tissue and is larger than 2 cm. The cancer has not spread to other organs or to the lymph nodes.

Stage 3A – Anal cancer of any size which has spread to the lymph nodes near the rectum and/or to nearby areas such as the vagina or bladder or urethra.

Stage 3B – Anal cancer of any size which has spread to nearby areas, such as the vagina or the bladder, and has spread to lymph nodes around the rectum. Or, anal cancer of any size which has spread to lymph nodes in the groin, with or without spread to lymph nodes around the rectum.

Stage 4 – Anal cancer which has spread to parts of the body away from the pelvis.

Additional Resources

Yahoo! Health Group - Anal Cancer - This is a support eGroup for persons affected by anal or rectal squamous Cell Carcinoma , families, medical professionals and any interested individuals wishing to share information and/or support for affected persons.

Rare Cancer Alliance - Anal Cancer Forum - Where patients, survivors, and caregivers share support, treatment/physician/facility information, and personal experiences.