The symptoms of anal cancer are often similar to more common and less serious conditions affecting the anus, such as piles (haemorrhoids), anal fissures (small tears or sores), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and many gastrointestinal diseases.
Symptoms of anal cancer can include:
- bleeding from the rectum (rectal bleeding)
- itching and pain around the anus
- formation of small lumps around the anus
- a discharge of mucus from the anus
- loss of bowel control (bowel incontinence)
- changes in bowel habits
- thin stools
If you’re not sure what’s causing any of these symptoms, you should go to your doctor for an evaluation. They’ll be able to do tests to diagnose which condition these symptoms belong to.