Anal Carcinoma: An Overview

The anus is the end portion of the large intestine. It allows the solid waste to exit from the body. It is uncommon and quite different from colon carcinoma. A type of cancer that arises from the anus is anal carcinoma.

Anal carcinomas may not seem harmful in their early stages but later it becomes cancer and therefore, deadly.

These are the different types of anal carcinomas.

Squamous cell carcinomas arise from the cells lining the anal canal and the anal margin. About half of the anal carcinomas are basically squamous cell carcinomas. It is also known as carcinoma is situ and brown's disease earlier.

Cloacogenic Carcinoma occurs in the cloaca. This is a ring of tissue between the anal canal and the rectum. About one-fourth of anal tumors are cloacogenic carcinomas.

Adenocarcinomas affect the glands in the anal areas and approximately 15 percent of anal cancers are adenocarcinomas. A type of adenocarcinoma that may occur in the anal area is the paget's disease. In women, this may affect the vulva, breasts, and other areas of the body also.

According to the American Cancer Society, it came to light that about 3,500 Americans were diagnosed with anal carcinoma in 2001. Anal carcinomas are very rare and form just 1 percent to 2 percent of cancers that affect the digestive system. Further, the studies also reveal that disease tends to affect women more than the men.

The exact cause of the disease is unknown. But smoking increases the risk of developing the disease. Also, people with certain types of the human papillomavirus are prone to risk. So are those with log term anal problems. The practice of anal sex is another cause that increases the risk.

People who have a weak immune system due to disease like HIV are at a higher risk of developing the disease. The disease is found to occur maximum in those who have crossed the age of 50.

The symptoms of anal carcinoma includes pain, change in the bowel habits, discharge from the anus , and change in the diameter of the stool and swollen lymph nodes in the anal area. In fact, anal cancer is sometimes diagnosed during routine check-ups or minor procedures like homorrhoid removal. It can also be diagnosed by the digital rectal examination.

Other procedures which can be used to diagnose anal carcinoma are anoscopy, proctoscopy and transrectal ultrasound.

Anal carcinoma or cancer can be treated through surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. But it is important to keep away from the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and avoid smoking. With health awareness, this can be cured and treated so dont miss your regular check ups.