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Possible Anal Cancer

BellaClaire
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I'm feeling so scared right now. 

For the past week and a half, I've been experiencing a constant burning sensation around my bottom. At first I tried using some Uniroid ointment because I thought it was a thrombosed hemorrhoid again (I had one earlier in the year) so wanted to give that a try first. It didn't help at all and I then felt what I thought was a skin tag on the edge of the anus, I already have one quite larger skin tag which I've had for a long time, however this newest one felt a bit different to the other one. It's almost like there's a couple of layers to it and it's not a soft as the actual skin tag. I managed to look in a mirror and thought it looked like a wart, which shocked me because I was wondering where that would be from. It's quite sore now too and I think it has got bigger just in the last week. 

I contacted my GP (on Tuesday just gone, today it's Sunday) and explained everything, I was prescribed another ointment to try and help with the burning, whilst I waited for a face to face appointment. I was offered an appointment for yesterday (Saturday) with a GP at a different surgery, I took the appointment. I went in saying I thought it was a wart. He had a look and said he could see why I thought it was a wart, it has a slight wart look but he said it's too large for a wart and doesn't have the characteristics of one. He said he wanted to refer me to the colorectal department and it would be an urgent referral. He's concerned about what it looks like and where it's coming from, apparently the mucosal tissue just on the edge of the anal margin. He completely scared and shocked me with what he said, I really wasn't expecting that response. I don't know how I'm going to be able to enjoy Christmas given that I found this out on the 21st December and will obviously have longer than two weeks to wait because of the bank holidays coming up. I'm so scared that it's anal cancer. I take Methotrexate and Adalimumab (biologic) for Psoriatic Arthritis and know that this can put me more at risk too. 

Any words of support would be greatly appreciated.

Claire 

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    Hi Claire,

    My heart goes out to you, I understand how you feel and of course it’s the worst time of year to be going through this kind of anxiety when all around people are in the mood for celebration. 
    The chances are it’s not anal cancer and if it is the earlier it’s found the better, so your GP is fast tracking you.

    im almost 4 weeks post treatment for anal cancer and doing well. The treatment is highly effective and in most cases curable. Of course no one wants to go on this journey and I know how shocking it is to discover cancer- but you don’t know. So hold on to this and try to enjoy Christmas. Anal cancer is very rare so it’s much more likely to be something less worrying.

    If it is there is an anal cancer forum . You will get lots of support and brilliant tips for dealing with treatment etc.

    Hopefully you will hear good news soon so don’t let it ruin your Christmas..

    Big hugs

    Happyflower x

  • Hello Claire and thank you for posting,

    Waiting for tests and test results is always an anxious and uncertain time and many people can feel they are not in control of what is happening to them. You have done the right thing by getting yourself checked and as happyflower has said it doesn't mean the symptoms you are having have necessarily been caused by cancer.

    Easier said than done, if you can, try not to overthink things and take one step at a time.

    I hope you have family and friends that you can lean on during this time and that you get an appointment very soon.

    If you would like to talk things through with one of our nurses on the helpline, we are here until 5pm today and then will return on Friday 27th December. The freephone number to call is 0808 800 4040.

    Take care

    Jemma

  • Offline in reply to Happyflower

    Hi Happyflower,

    Thank you ever so much for your reply, I do appreciate. I'm sorry I'm only just responding. I work in retail and was in work yesterday and today, it's been chaos. 

    I just have a horrible feeling about this and that it is anal cancer, or another form of cancer, plus the reaction from the GP really scared me and on top of all of that, my maternal grandmother had bowel cancer in her later years. You're right, it's very difficult trying to be cheery in front of others when inside, all I feel is fear and being absolutely petrified whilst being in limbo. I just don't see what else it could be. The growth/mass is sore to the touch and I have a constant burning sensation. I had a text today to say that the colorectal department triage team will be looking at my referral on the 27th, so hopefully I will hear something from them fairly soon after. 

    I'm so glad to hear you're doing so well 4 weeks on. I hope you can enjoy Christmas  

    Thank you again, so much. 

    Claire xx

  • Offline in reply to CRUK Nurse Jemma

    Hello Jemma,

    Thank you for your reply. 

    I'm annoyed with myself for waiting a week to see if the hemorrhoid ointment worked (when I thought it was an external thrombosed hemorrhoid again, which I had earlier in the year), I keep thinking, "If I'd contacted the GP a week earlier, I'd be further on with it all right now". I just don't feel I will be able to enjoy Christmas at all because it will be constantly on my mind. 

    My husband is amazing and always a massive support to me with everything. I'm such an anxious person at the best of times but when it comes to anything like this, I'm a nervous wreck. I don't want to be telling friends about it because they're all off with their families for Christmas so I don't want to ruin their time by dropping this on them. 

    I would have phoned the nurses helpline today, most definitely but I was working until 6pm unfortunately so missed it. I'm also working on the 27th so probably won't be able to call then either. I did receive a text today, to let me know that the Colorectal triage team will be reviewing my referral on the 27th so I desperately hope I get an appointment not too long after that. I worry massively that due to the bank holidays over these next couple of weeks, it will mean my appointment is delayed and if this is cancer, it will have time to grow even more. 

    Thank you again, 

    Claire.

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