Anal cancer
If you’re affected by anal cancer, you may have many questions about how it is diagnosed, treatment options, side effects and how to stay well. You can find trustworthy information about all aspects of your experience below.
Consider taking a support person with you – this could be a family member or a friend – to help you record and remember the answers.
• What type of anal cancer do I have? What part of the anus is affected? Has the cancer spread?
• What treatment do you recommend? What are the risks and possible side effects?
• Are there any other treatment options for me?
• Will the treatment affect my sexual function or pleasure? Will the treatment affect my fertility?
• Do I have HPV? Can I pass on HPV to my partner? Should I or my partner get vaccinated against HPV?
• Are there any clinical trials I could join?
• How often will I need check-ups? Can I examine myself in between check-ups?
• If the cancer comes back, how will I know? What treatments could I then have?
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Glen Guerra, Colorectal Surgeon, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and St Vincents Hospital Melbourne, VIC; Holly Davey, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Queensland; Prof Peter Gibbs, Laboratory Head, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, The University of Melbourne, Medical Oncologist, Western Hospital, VIC; A/Prof Ian Faragher, The University of Melbourne, Head of Colorectal and General Surgery Unit, Western Health, VIC; Justin Hargreaves, Medical Oncology Nurse Practitioner, Bendigo Health Cancer Centre, VIC; Prof Richard Hillman, Senior Staff Specialist, HIV and Immunology, St Vincent’s Health Network, Sydney, Conjoint Professor, St Vincent’s Clinical Campus and The Kirby Institute, NSW; A/Prof George Hruby, Radiation Oncologist, Royal North Shore Hospital, Visiting Radiation Oncologist, Genesiscare and Dubbo Base Hospital, NSW; Annie Jacobs, Consumer; Mariad O’Gorman, Clinical Psychologist, Bankstown Cancer Therapy Centre, NSW; Terry Scully, Consumer.
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