Post anal cancer treatment side effects

Hi  Wishes 

Please don't worry too much. The side effects vary quite a lot from person to person and are well known to the staff who will be treating you. Also they start quite gradually so you'll have time to discuss these, when and if they start.

You'll possibly be given a set of dilators to use once you are finished and they will explain how and when to use them. This should help prevent stenosis and scarring.

The other things you are worried about, like it affecting your bones, are really something you should talk to your oncologist about. It will depend on whether you have existing conditions or if you are at risk, so it would be worth mentioning. You will have regular appointments with staff wherever you are being treated and you can monitor how your healing progress is going with them. 

Try not to keep looking on line; you'll get a lot of outdated and in many cases inaccurate stuff there. My advice would be to stick with Cancer Research UK or Macmillan for your information if you are in UK.

Be kind to yourself whilst you are having the chemoradiotherapy, eat well and rest as much as you can; it can take months for you to even start feeling yourself again. But you will get there!

Good luck, let us know how it goes. x

Thankyou so much for your reply, it has reassured me and I will make sure I ask all the questions at my meeting. It’s so frustrating and upsetting, I’ve suffered with constipation for a long time and everytime I’ve been to the doctors or hospital apts they’ve said oh you’ve had a clear colonoscopy, your blood tests are normal and so was your fit test but now I’ve found out that the colonoscopy didn’t even look at the anal canal and the fit tests don’t pick it up and blood tests can be normal. It’s so frustrating that no one over the years looked in that area even though in 2011 they did and I had fissures and hemorrhoids. I’ve always just been told it’s just your constipation and I’m annoyed with myself that I haven’t requested them to look and examine me. Xx

Hello Wishes 

I didn't even know about the after effects of the radiotherapy and I was so keen to have it done and over with.  And yes, you can have a new normal afterwards, however, the main thing is that you go forward prepared; use the dilators to avoid stenosis in the vagina and if necessary the anal canal.  And it is a good idea to talk to your oncologist about preventative measures you can take in avoiding at least some of the late side effects.

At my last meeting with the oncologist (four years since treatment) I asked if surgery wasn't a better alternative to radiotherapy given some of the side effects that some people have.  And she was most emphatic that it is not, the surgery may have to be really invasive and runs the risk of damaging adjacent organs (and cause disfunction in them) and there is no guarantee that all the cancer would be removed.  She was really forthcoming and explained that they are really aware of the late effects on SOME people (I must stress that) but that there is constant research going on to lessen some of these.

I am really sorry that perhaps I haven't given you the reassurance that you are looking for; however, no one knows until the treatment is over how they will be affected.  There are many on the forum who have completely recovered and are back getting on with their lives, so, with a bit of luck, you will be one of those too.

Best of luck with your appointment next week, I am really interested in what your oncologist says.

Irene xx

Thankyou so much Irene, this is helpful to me and I will definately discuss it with my Oncologist. I’m such a healthy person, I exercise regularly, eat well, hardly ever drink and don’t smoke, which is why I hate the idea of having these treatments and what it’ll do to my body, but I know that it’s probably my only option. I do have some stress in my relationship though and I’m trying to manage that x

Hi Wishes 

Easier said than done I know but try not to worry about the what ifs. Not everyone gets side affects so fingers crossed you are one of those people. From what you've said you seem to lead a healthy lifestyle which I'm sure will help. If you are worried about the possible effects on your bones and hips exercise specifically weight lifting will help as it strengthens bones. Have a chat with your oncologist on Tuesday and see what he/she says. Sending hugs. Xx

This is such a common and infuriating tale Wishes So many of us here have been fobbed off with haemorrhoids and fissures, you wouldn't believe it. I remember pleading with the receptionist at my GP to give me an appointment (it was during Covid) and she went through the list of 'Have you tried Anusol?' and even 'What about a hot bath?' so yes, I understand your feelings, as I'm sure many here do. xxx

Yes it’s seems to be a common theme, so frustrating, you’re made to feel like you’re overreacting, I’m still astonished that when you have a colonscopy it doesn’t give you a view of the anal canal and yet they made reference to it saying that if had a clear one, I’ve since checked my report and it only shows from the rectum up, it’s as if because they look at it as a rare cancer they don’t consider it it’s so wrong I feel like raising awareness about it.

That is interesting. My colorectal surgeon said I would need a sedative as tumour would make procedure painful, so I don't remember much about it, but I am sure he said he could see my tumour in the anal canal when he spoke to me afterwards.

Anatomy is not my strong point but I would have thought the anal canal is the first thing the camera sees, so not good that your report only shows from rectum. Maybe you should have a talk with your oncologist and start by raising their awareness of this in case they don't know.

I’m going to mention it to him, I won’t have actually had the tumour when it was done as that’s recently grown down from a lesion this is how I realised something wasn’t right although I’d had bleeding and soreness but I was always told it was just my constipation  but I could have had the lesion then but it was 5 years ago and I think they shouldn’t assume that because it was clear then the likelihood is you’re ok. Apparently they can turn the camera back on itself to look at that area in more detail it’s because it’s a small area I think but I’ll take my report and ask about it when I go.