Lecture Notes

Anal cancer is fairly uncommon, although the number of cases has been increasing for many years. Increasing rates of anal cancer may be due to the more prevalent practice of anal intercourse and to the high prevalence of HPV infection. Pain in the anal area, change in the diameter of the stool, abnormal discharge from the anus, and swollen lymph glands in the anal or groin areas are the major symptoms of anal cancer. Bleeding occurs in more than half of the cases of anal cancer and is usually the first sign of the disease. The digital rectal examination for prostate cancer will find some cases of rectal cancer. Like many other cancers, surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are the major treatments for anal cancer.