Anal Cancer

Anal Cancer

Anal cancer is cancer of the skin cells surrounding the anus, or along the lining of the passage connecting the anus and the rectum (the anal canal).

Causes

Although the exact cause of anal cancer is unknown, a number of risk factors have been identified, and include:

·         Smoking;

·         Certain sexually-transmitted diseases, primarily the human papillomavirus (HPV);

·         Engaging in anal intercourse; and

·         Having multiple sexual partners.

Symptoms and diagnosis

In approximately 25 per cent of cases, people with anal cancer will have no symptoms.

Others, however, may experience:

·         Bloating;

·         Pain and bleeding with bowel movements;

·         Itching around the anus; and

·         Lower back pain.

To detect anal cancer, a doctor will inspect and physically probe the skin around the anus, and the anal canal. If there is any part of the lining that appears to be different to its surroundings, the doctor then takes a sample of the tissue and inspects it for cancer under a microscope.

Treatment

A combination of radiation, chemotherapy and surgery is often sufficient to treat anal cancer, with 70 per cent of patients surviving upward of five years.

Continued monitoring and further treatment may be required if the cancer is recurrent.

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Venus Flytrap Extract (Carnivora, Dionaea Muscipula) [1, 8, 9, 10]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: weakly in favor (Early laboratory studies show that Venus Flytrap Extract may have some effect against anal cancer in animals. However more research is needed in humans.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Turmeric [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It is proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: Weakly in favor (Early laboratory studies show that turmeric may be of benefit in the treatment of cancer. However, clinical trials on humans are needed)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Vitamin C [18]:

Recomendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that vitamin C is able to treat anal cancer)

Grade of Evidence: Very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/turmeric

3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-turmeric.html

4. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/turmeric/index.htm

5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1668932.stm

6. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/10/28/curry-kills-cancer-cells-and-other-health-benefits-of-the-nations-favourite-dish-115875-21779950/

7. http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?term=turmeric

8. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/venus-flytrap

9. Parimala, R. & P. Sachdanandam 1993. Effect of plumbagin on some glucose metabolizing enzymes studied in rats in experimental hepatoma. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 12(1): 59–63.

10. http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/318/2/484

11. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/anal/patient/allpages/print#Section_1

12. http://web.archive.org/web/20080227144331/http://dceg.cancer.gov/pdfs/frisch83892000.pdf

13. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/AnalCancer/OverviewGuide/index.htm

14. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/analcancer.html

15. http://www.cancer.net/patient/Cancer+Types/Anal+Cancer

16. http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/anal-cancer/DS00852/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print

17. http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/299/16/1980.pdf

18. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4388666/

Public Discussion