Anal cancer is a rare condition that involves the anus or rectum. It is characterized by a minor bleeding in this particular region. Sometimes, there are no symptoms at all, that is why people who are suffering from this ailment only find out about it when the cancer cells have already spread to different parts of the body including the major organs.
With that said, everybody is encouraged to go for a general checkup, at least, twice a year as this will help detect if there is any health condition that needs to be treated. The earlier it gets detected, the easier it would be to treat it.
Signs and symptoms of anal cancer
Like what was mentioned earlier, anal cancer may not show signs and symptoms at its early stages. But sooner or later, the patient may start to experience rectal itching and bleeding. There may be streaks of blood in the stool.
Furthermore, the condition may be accompanied by pain and discomfort. You may notice an unusual discharge coming from your anus. And when you use the restroom, you may have a hard time defecating. The area may get swollen too. So, if you experience any of the above-mentioned signs, you should see a doctor immediately.
Possible treatments
If you are diagnosed with anal cancer, treatments should be done as soon as possible. There are several methods that can be used to treat this particular condition which includes surgery, and chemotherapy. You can also consider undergoing radiation therapy depending on how severe the spread of the cancer cells is.
Back in the days, surgery was the only way to treat anal cancer. But as time has passed by, health care professionals have started using a combination of the different strategies, which has been proven to make the treatment a lot faster.
How to avoid anal cancer
“Prevention is better than cure.” This is very true. It is better to take precautionary measures, and you won’t have to worry about any disease or illness rather than dealing with one already. This can affect you physically, mentally, and emotionally. So, the best thing that you should do is to take care of your anus.
Anal pap smear
Not too many people are aware that there is also a so-called ‘anal pap smear’. This procedure can help detect if there are any issues that involve your rectal region. After the test, you will know if there is something that you should address.
So, when you go for a general checkup, make sure that you avail of an anal pap smear. The experts say that this is the best step that you can take to prevent anal cancer.