Hi Rachyrae,

Welcome to Cancer Chat. It's good that you're getting this checked out although I understand your concerns. I'd suggest that when you next speak to your GP - perhaps when you get the results - that you raise these concerns and ask if further tests are required, to help you get the information you need and to put your mind at ease.

If you'd like to discuss this with our nurses at all, you can reach them on 0808 800 4040 - Monday-Friday, 9-5.

Wishing you all the best,

Ben
Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi Ben,

Thank you for your reply and advice, that's a good idea! :happy:

Hi Rachyrae,

Just to let you know I was diagnosed with anal cancer last year after several visits (10 I believe) during COVID from Jan 20 to June 20 they also took stool samples about 4 months later but continued to treat me for piles.  The stool samples came back showing some sort of inflammation but your right it doesn't check for cancer.  It was only when the growth was about 3cm outside my anus that a particular dr said that's defo not piles and low and behold it was anal cancer.  If your worried make sure they refer you as it can be done through the cancer pathway, as you can tell I am really bitter as it ended up growing through my vaginal wall and hitting my lymph nodes I'm now looking as salvage surgery as the chemo radiotherapy has reduced it but not completely so don't delay.

Hope I haven't worried you too much with my waffling don't mean to go on ️ but I hope you get sorted and they put your mind at rest but please let me know how you get on.

nikki

Hi Nikki,

Thank you so much for your message. I am so sorry to hear what you went through and are still going through, being misdiagnosed for so long is horrible and the consequences can be awful, so feeling bitter is totally normal and so understandable. 

When you first started going to the Drs was it just with a lump or did you have other symptoms too? Do you know when you'll be having your operation?

My Dr has now diagnosed me with piles, although he asked me to point out where the lump is, which I did, but he didn't examine that area. Anyway, he's prescribed me some cream which I will use religiously like I have been since Tuesday, and if it doesn't go away, or start reducing in size then I'll ask for a referral.. hopefully it is just piles but there's obviously always the chance that it isn't as you have unfortunately found out :sad:

Thank you once again for replying to my post, I hope you have a lovely weekend and enjoy the blue skies and sun :happy:

Rachel xx

Hi Rachyrae,

Aww thanks for your message and that's great news, I'm glad they've given you something I was given cream and suppositories which I used religiously and had salt baths as instructed that was until I couldn't as the growth got too big.

The only reason I went was due to bleeding from my back passage not a lot but too much for my liking and a pea size lump just inside (no pain whatsoever). This then got bigger and started protruding so went back, told the same each time being examined then I got a lump to my front was told it could be a varicous vein caused by the piles, then went back with my lymph node in my groin 1cm told again cos of the piles.  Went back again due to groin lump now 2cm another lump in my vagina and the growth from my anus was breaking away bleeding and then split in the middle still told the same.

It was a very frustrating 6 months as each time I went it was a difference in my body and each time my back passage was examined (I just knew it wasn't piles) when it grew more it didn't even resemble a pile.

Anyway that's why I would advise anyone with there own concerns about there own body to push there GP .......... no one knows your own body more, I am so glad though that your sorted and it's nothing sinister ️ xx

Hi Nikki,

Omg! I can't believe you went through all of that!.. going back time after time with things that really should've flagged something up to the gp and should've been cause to refer you!

Thank you, I'm hoping it is just piles, I have had them before and they haven't looked or felt like this though but I'm guessing that maybe they can look and feel different every time.

So far the cream is making no difference, in fact I think it may be bigger than when I first noticed it.. I'll have to get my poor other half to have a look to see if he notices any difference.

If it doesn't go or carries on getting bigger, I'll go back and ask for a referral.. it worries me when I hear people say that they kept getting diagnosed with piles and then in the end finding out it wasn't piles but anal cancer.. that's why I'm going to keep an eye on it and if the cream doesn't work I'll go back.

Thanks for your message :happy: xx