Month: August 2016

Anal Cancer Treatment Options. Anal cancer is treated using three methods, used either together or individually: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Treatment depends on the cancer stage, the extent of spread, and the patient’s age and overall health status. [Related post: Anal Cancer Prevention Tips.]

Surgery
Two types of surgery may be performed. A local resection is surgery where the tumor is cut from the anus, along with some healthy tissue around it. Local resection is done if the cancer is small and has not spread. Tumors that develop in the lower part of the anus can often be removed with local resection. Persons who undergo this procedure, can save their sphincter muscles and are able to control their bowel movements. But because resection can cause anal stenosis or the narrowing of the anal canal and anus due to scar tissue, another surgery is sometimes needed to widen the anus and restore its proper function.

Continue reading “Anal Cancer Treatment Options and Alternatives”

Anal Cancer Prevention Tips. The evidence is clear: everyday choices impact your chances of getting cancer. Some choices increase your risk; many help to reduce it. That’s what the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has to say about cancer prevention.

According to the AICR Expert Panel, all cancers involve the malfunction of genes that control cell growth and division but only about five percent of cancers are strongly hereditary.

Instead, most—including anal cancer—result from damage to genes that happen during your lifetime and that are caused by lifestyle choices such as smoking, unsafe sexual behavior, diet and physical inactivity.

Continue reading “Anal Cancer Prevention Tips: Gardasil Vaccination?”

Anal Cancer Treatment Alternative. Anal cancer is a painful and difficult condition to have. If you are suffering from this cancer, or are taking care of a loved one afflicted with it, know that that you may resort to many complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) techniques.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) defines CAM as a group of different medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not presently considered part of conventional medicine.

Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, while alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. Anal cancer sufferers can use these CAM techniques to lessen the pain and ease the other uncomfortable conditions that come with this cancer.

Continue reading “Anal Cancer Treatment Alternative and Complementary Therapies: CAM”