Anorectal Squamous Cell Cancer

Raellen

Hello, I am a new here, 64 yr old female diagnosed with Anorectal Squamous Cell Cancer back in February of 2026. By report, my tumor is localized to anorectal region with inguinal/rectal nodes that are being treated with radiation. No signs of metastatic disease. I am one week from completing my chemo/radiation treatment. Scared and very anxious to know if this treatment plan is going to be successful in killing the cancer completely and avoiding surgery. All I can do is wait, no ideal if it’s shrinking, nothing! Just wait. I am hoping to hear about other’s experience with Anorectal Squamous Cancer, and learn about the treatment they received, the outcome of their treatment, how they coped with side affects, and products they used to relieve radiation burn, particularly for the Vulva and Vagina area. Please share!

My journey, I had struggled with intermittent constipation over the past years and coped with it using Miralax. I had a small protrusion from my anus which I thought was a hemorrhoid. Then in late December 2025, I had an episode of hematochezia, and then followed by two more episodes of hematochhezia in January 2026. I still thought this was related to a possible internal hemorrhoid and scheduled a colonoscopy. My diagnosis, I did not have any hemorrhoids, external nor internal, I was told I had anorectal cancer. The biopsy of the anal mass was significant for moderately differentiated invasive SCC that is p16+. I was in shock. I could not believe this was happening. I cried and told the Doctor I could not do it, I could not go through treatment and surgeries. You see, my husband is a rectal cancer survivor. He battled his cancer back in 2016 and I was by his side through the entire journey. My husband received chemo and radiation, had surgery and had to take a Ostomy bag for life. I had watched him go through the hell of treatment, the side affects, the mental toll it had on him. Today, he struggles with his ostomy bag daily. I told my Doctor, I was not my husband, I was not stong enough to go through it. So I went home and spent the next few days researching, hoping I could find some way to beat this without going through the treatments and avoid surgery too. With the love of my family around me, I decided to go forward with the treatment. Late January, I met with my Oncology Team, Chemo, Radiation, and Surgeon, and was on my way to starting my treatment.

As stated before, it’s very frustrating to go through these treatments not knowing if the tumor is going away, I have to wait a month or more before they do another PET scan to see where I am at, then another follow up scan to check again before calling the Surgeon back into action. The chemo side of the treatment so far has been tolerable, side effects are being extremely tired, no appetite, tender hands. The radiation has been brutal! The radiation burns are very painful, only thing my Radiation Oncologist wants me to use down there is Aquaphor ointment. Only problem is my vulva and vagina areas. I can carefully use it on the vulva area, but not really thinking I want to use it on the internal area around the vagina opening. It’s so tender, at times difficult to use the vaginal dialator because it’s so tender around the entrance. I really would love to hear back from other women about how they coped with this and what they found safe to use both internal and external areas. This radiation is much much harder on women!

mak1970

Hello, and I hope that you are doing well. I had rectal squamous cell cancer back in 2024. My treatment was the Nigro protocol-radiation therapy combined with 5-FU and mitomycin-C. It was 100% effective. I know you posted 6 weeks ago, so let me know how you are doing! Hugs.

Raellen

https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1726943#Comment_1726943

Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out! That’s fantastic that your treatment was 100% effective, I know what a relief that was for you. I am in my sit and wait period after finishing my treatment. Will not know the out come until mid July this year when they do a follow up PET. My seven week treatment plan included Radiation Therapy (IMRT) five days a week, along with oral chemo therapy daily of 5-FU, and two infusions of mitomycin, one at the beginning and one at the end of the treatment. My cancer was diagnosed at stage 3a and I have a small piece of it that protruded externally from the my anus verge.

I am doing okay, as far as the radiation I’m healing very well, much better than I thought it would be these past four weeks. I have normal BM’s now, just don’t have good control over them. When my body says “I got go, I better get up and go!’ Lol! As for the chemo part I am still very tired, have no energy at all. My activity is very limited. I hope in the next coming month to feel better as I want to return to work in July.

I’m worried, wish I knew what was going on, is it going away, I’m I going to be surgery free, what’s ahead for me, always in my mind daily. This waiting is difficult. I can still feel the tumor protruding from my anus and that really has me concerned. I thought it was shrinking, but it was only hiding out under the inflammation from the radiation treatment. Did your tumor protrude externally?

If you don’t mind sharing, I would love to know more about your journey post treatment. You are the first person I have had a response from and would so appreciate your sharing. Hugs back to you and congratulations on a successful journey!

Judy