Anal Cancer
Colon and Rectal Surgeon located in Sacramento and Roseville, CA
About 10,000 new cases of anal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. The Sacramento Colon and Rectal Surgery Medical Group specialists offer comprehensive medical care to treat anal cancer at any stage. They provide chemotherapy and radiation to kill cancerous cells and specialize in advanced surgeries to remove cancerous tissue and other structures. Call the office in Sacramento, or Roseville, California, to schedule an anal cancer consultation, or book an appointment online today.
Anal cancer is a rare type of cancer that develops when cells divide abnormally in the tissues of the anal canal.
Your risk of anal cancer increases with age, especially if you’re over 50. You may also be at a higher risk for this type of cancer if you have multiple sexual partners or engage in anal sex. Other anal cancer risk factors include:
While rare, anal cancer can spread to other parts of your body, making it more difficult to treat.
Anal cancer symptoms are similar to those associated with other conditions. For this reason, schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Sacramento Colon and Rectal Surgery Medical Group if you experience changes in your health or bowel movements or symptoms that affect your anus, including:
You may also feel a lump or mass on the anus or in the anal canal.
Your provider can confirm cancer during an anal canal and rectum exam. They may use ultrasound technology to look for tumors or other abnormal growths and take a tissue sample (biopsy) to test for cancerous cells.
Testing also helps determine how far cancer has advanced, so your physician can create a care plan to treat it effectively.
Your initial treatment for anal cancer may involve chemotherapy or radiation therapy to destroy cancerous cells in the anal canal. These treatments can take five weeks or longer to complete.
If you don’t respond to nonsurgical cancer treatments, your Sacramento Colon and Rectal Surgery Medical Group provider may recommend surgery to remove cancerous tissue.
When cancer is advanced, you may also need surgery to remove your anal canal, rectum, and a part of your colon. After this kind of surgery, your surgeon creates a stoma, an opening in your abdomen that lets waste leave your body. They attach a colostomy bag to collect the waste.
Your doctor monitors your recovery after surgery to ensure the cancer is gone. They also provide resources to help you adapt to life with a colostomy bag if necessary.
Call the Sacramento Colon and Rectal Surgery Medical Group office near you to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for symptoms of anal cancer or book an appointment online today.