Treatment for anal cancer

I completed the same treatment in March. The only real side effect I had was 3 rd. week into radiotherapy and skin in the area of treatment became sore. 

Hi Mary,

There a lots of us on here who have had or are going through this exact treatment. Im currently in week 4 of chemoradiation and I'm actually doing pretty well... 

There is some soreness creeping in down there from the radiotherapy, but I have creams and gels etc prescribed to me to help. Also had quite prolonged vaginal bleeding, so my bloods are a bit low and they're treating me for that too.

I had a lot of pain pre treatment as I am stage 3 and the tumour was quite large and had spread into lymph nodes and surrounding tissues. That pain has basically gone already! So can only assume it's working. I hope that gives you some positivity in facing all this. 

Ask anything on here, people are keen to share their experiences and offer advice. 

I would say, in advance of your treatment, just take really good care of yourself and start to moisturise everywhere from your hips down to your knees to keep the skin healthy and supple.

Best of luck to you with everything, 

Jenna 

Hi FairyMary ,

Firstly welcome to the MacMillan Online Community although I’m really sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis & subsequent treatment. 

I completed a similar regime a little over 7 years ago now. I had an infusion of mitomycin on day 1 of radiotherapy & oral capecitabine twice a day every day of radiotherapy thereafter. Radiotherapy was Monday to Friday with weekends off all treatment. I had very few side effects from the chemo side of the treatment, my hair wasn’t in great condition by the time I’d finished treatment but I didn’t lose much at all. I was pretty fatigued from around week 3. Around that time my skin also began reacting to the radiotherapy, it felt a bit warm to begin with then by week 4 it was beginning to feel a bit sore (skin to bad sunburn) but it wasn’t until 11 days post treatment that it reached it’s peak. I didn’t have any diarrhoea in fact I swung completely the opposite way & had to take stool softeners pretty much throughout. 

Wishing you all the very best with your treatment. 

Nicola

Hello lass yes I had same in January 5weeks same as you get some wet wipes and baby cream for your bum , knackered after 2weeks and plenty of toilet have you got piles they will get inflamed …painfu.!!! Im 70 an old fart ..!!..just had all my scans and im cancer free so chin you will come out the other just fine much love  to you ..!!!

1. Thanks Jenna, would you mind telling me the name of the cream that was recommended for you please?

Hi Carty5 , just wanted to jump on & say congrats on the fantastic scan results, onwards and upwards eh? 

Nicola 

Thank you love ..!!!were r you on your journey x

Hi FairyMary,

I’ve just completed 6 weeks of Chemoradiotherapy today so I’m at the sharp end of the immediate side effects.

On the first day I had IV Mitomycin as well as the Capecitabine tablets and towards the end of the 1^st week was the only time I felt I was really down on energy while out cycling

Also, in the 1^st week I had to take Movicol as the treatment gave me constipation but that eased after the first weekend.

I had to change my diet slightly as the Chemo gave me gas but other than that I can’t really report any Chemo side effects and bloods all good each week.

For Radiotherapy side effects I had a stinging sensation down my penis when urinating from the 4^th week and although this isn’t unusual, I gave a Pee sample and they managed to grow something from that so I had a 5-day course of antibiotics from the middle of the 5^th week and that gave me constipation so had to take a stool softener but not Movicol.

Towards the end of the 5^th week I started to develop some soreness around my anus and was given Flaminal gel for that, I also get an itching sensation but no real pain that would require painkillers although it does sting quite a bit when having a BM.

In terms of general fatigue, I’ve been up at 5am each day to travel to the hospital and worked and cycled throughout but can definitely feel the cumulative fatigue and would not hesitate to take a rest or nap if need be.

I was given Aveeno cream and Zeroveen creams to apply on the first day btw.

Hi FairyMary  I'm about 7 months post now. I had the same radiotherapy but a different chemo. Firstly welcome to the forum. We all react and cope differently with treatment. I think i got of quite lightly compared to some. For me the burns and the mucous were the worst part, but your medical team will give you creams for any burns you may get, make sure to keep them updated. My non negotiables were water wipes and men's baggy boxers. As far as creams etc go, run anything not provided by the hospital past them however harmless you think it maybe as different hospitals seem to ok different stuff for example I got told off for using epsom salts and soaking in the bath. Sending  hugs. Xx

Hi 

Welcome to the forum  and sending lots of positive thought...

Think we have all had very similar regime and along with the chemotherapy tablets the daily radiotherapy..

The tablets.. they did cause a little nausea but the hospital give you antibiotics sickness tablets so stay on top of taking those..

The chemo tablets changed my taste buds so I lived on toast with dairy lea..buttermilk pancakes  pre made from sainsburys..and porridge.. try to stock up on as much simple food as you can to make your life easier  .

I made sure I drank lots of barley water and cranberry and water to keep my wee flowing.. I invested in a shewee as well as after week 4 when the skin underneath starts to get sore it's easier to pee into that.. ir like a few others have said.. fill your sitz bath on your toilet and pee in that.. its easier near the end if treatment and the first 2 weeks afterwards you will take any relief you can.. in fact a few times I had my wees and poos in the sitz bath to ease the pain..

If you can find lots of series and movies on Netflix..Amazon..Disney etc and try to rest.. your body will tell you it needs to slow down a few weeks into treatment so listen to it..

Not sure if any of the above helps but this group has lots of fantastic advice 

Xx