Does this sound like Cancer?

goyanksjg
goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
in Anal Cancer #1
Hello all, I am new to thsi board but had a question I was hoping somebody could answer or give me their opinion on. For the last few months when I go number 2 which isn't as often as it used to be, I feel something coming out and when I feel down there there is a pretty big lump there. When I sit back up it goes back inside me. I have noty noticed any blood but my bowel movements are sometimes pretty thin. Does this sound like cancer? I know it doesnt sound normal but could it be a hemmoroid? Any thoughts would be great. Thanks. DD
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Comments

  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #2
    See Your Doctor ASAP
    I would suggest to see your primary car physician ASAP. If you do not have a primary care physician you might see if you can make an appointment with a colorectal surgeon. They know what they are looking for as they are a specialist. Please do not ignore this issue. Hopefully it will be nothing more than hemorrhoids. Early detection of anal cancer is the key to successful cure.
  • goyanksjg
    goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
    #3
    mxperry220 said:

    See Your Doctor ASAP
    I would suggest to see your primary car physician ASAP. If you do not have a primary care physician you might see if you can make an appointment with a colorectal surgeon. They know what they are looking for as they are a specialist. Please do not ignore this issue. Hopefully it will be nothing more than hemorrhoids. Early detection of anal cancer is the key to successful cure.

    I have an appointment Monday
    I have an appointment Monday with my Primary Care Doctor and am scared what I am gonna find out. Do tumors usually do this? Just come out when I go number 2? Also could hemmoroids cause stool to be thin?
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #4
    goyanksjg said:

    I have an appointment Monday
    I have an appointment Monday with my Primary Care Doctor and am scared what I am gonna find out. Do tumors usually do this? Just come out when I go number 2? Also could hemmoroids cause stool to be thin?

    goyanksjg
    I'm sorry that you are having issues, but you are right to be concerned. The symptoms you are describing could indicate anal cancer, but there are other things that could also cause them. One thing you mentioned makes me wonder if you are having what they call anal or rectal prolapse. A prolapse is when an organ falls or slips out of place. I have known one person who has had this happen to them, which is why I'm mentioning it. Their symptoms were described similarly to yours, where, upon having a BM, part of the anal canal would actually become external and would have to be pushed back in. I am glad that you are seeing your doctor in a few days. One thing that I strongly advise is that if your primary care doctor tells you upon examination that you have a hemorrhoid, GET A SECOND OPINION FROM A COLORECTAL SPECIALIST. My internist told me I had a bleeding hemorrhoid and a week later a colorectal doctor told me she was 99% sure I had anal cancer. Sadly, she was right. Many doctors misdiagnosis anal cancer as a hemorrhoid without visually assessing the lump or lesion. It really needs to be viewed with an instrument called an anoscope, which I doubt your PC doctor is even equipped to do. So, to avoid months of misdiagnosis like so many of us have experienced, be sure not to take a diagnosis of a bleeding hemorrhoid as the final word. That is the very best advice I can give you at this point. I wish you the best and hope it is nothing serious.
  • goyanksjg
    goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
    #5
    mp327 said:

    goyanksjg
    I'm sorry that you are having issues, but you are right to be concerned. The symptoms you are describing could indicate anal cancer, but there are other things that could also cause them. One thing you mentioned makes me wonder if you are having what they call anal or rectal prolapse. A prolapse is when an organ falls or slips out of place. I have known one person who has had this happen to them, which is why I'm mentioning it. Their symptoms were described similarly to yours, where, upon having a BM, part of the anal canal would actually become external and would have to be pushed back in. I am glad that you are seeing your doctor in a few days. One thing that I strongly advise is that if your primary care doctor tells you upon examination that you have a hemorrhoid, GET A SECOND OPINION FROM A COLORECTAL SPECIALIST. My internist told me I had a bleeding hemorrhoid and a week later a colorectal doctor told me she was 99% sure I had anal cancer. Sadly, she was right. Many doctors misdiagnosis anal cancer as a hemorrhoid without visually assessing the lump or lesion. It really needs to be viewed with an instrument called an anoscope, which I doubt your PC doctor is even equipped to do. So, to avoid months of misdiagnosis like so many of us have experienced, be sure not to take a diagnosis of a bleeding hemorrhoid as the final word. That is the very best advice I can give you at this point. I wish you the best and hope it is nothing serious.

    Thank you MP for your reply.
    Thank you MP for your reply. I have not seen any blood since this has been happening, I would imagine that might be a good sign or could my blood just be hidden? It seems most of the posts I read on these boards talk about obvious blood in toilet when they were diagnosed.
  • Cheyenne
    Cheyenne Member Posts: 77
    #6
    goyanksjg said:

    Thank you MP for your reply.
    Thank you MP for your reply. I have not seen any blood since this has been happening, I would imagine that might be a good sign or could my blood just be hidden? It seems most of the posts I read on these boards talk about obvious blood in toilet when they were diagnosed.

    I did not have bleeding
    I didn't have any blood or any other symptoms. Mine was found during a routine colonoscopy. The urologist initially thought it was a hemorrhoid but did a biopsy anyway (Thankfully!) and it turned out to be cancer. Many on here went to their doctor with symptoms and were told it was hemorrhoids when it was not so the two are very similar. It's good to get it checked. Hopefully it is a hemorrhoid.
  • goyanksjg
    goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
    #7
    Cheyenne said:

    I did not have bleeding
    I didn't have any blood or any other symptoms. Mine was found during a routine colonoscopy. The urologist initially thought it was a hemorrhoid but did a biopsy anyway (Thankfully!) and it turned out to be cancer. Many on here went to their doctor with symptoms and were told it was hemorrhoids when it was not so the two are very similar. It's good to get it checked. Hopefully it is a hemorrhoid.

    So you had no lumps or
    So you had no lumps or anything like that?
  • Cheyenne
    Cheyenne Member Posts: 77
    #8
    goyanksjg said:

    So you had no lumps or
    So you had no lumps or anything like that?

    I had nothing. The cancer
    I had nothing. The cancer was right inside the anal opening but I never felt anything or had any symptoms. If I hadn't had the colonoscopy I would not have had any clue that there was a cancer growing in my body.
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #9
    goyanksjg said:

    Thank you MP for your reply.
    Thank you MP for your reply. I have not seen any blood since this has been happening, I would imagine that might be a good sign or could my blood just be hidden? It seems most of the posts I read on these boards talk about obvious blood in toilet when they were diagnosed.

    goyanksjg
    As Cheyenne has stated, some people never experience bleeding before being diagnosed. My tumor had ulcerated so I did have bleeding, which was what prompted me to see the doctor. I can't stress enough the importance of getting checked out thoroughly by a specialist. This cancer is mistaken for hemorrhoids a good percentage of the time, which is why some people are at an advanced stage when they finally find out they have cancer. There may be some doctors with "educated fingers" who can distinguish between a hemorrhoid and a tumor, but most cannot. Visual examination is critical!
  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #10
    No Bleeding For Me Either
    I had no bleeding prior to diagnosis. Stools were thin like ribbon. I constantly felt the need to defecate. I never felt I had a "complete" BM. BMs were very painful and required a lot of strain. I would usually break into a cold sweat during BM fromstaining so hard. I was diagnosed Stage 2 anal cancer in 2008.
    Mike
  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #11
    No Bleeding For Me Either
    I had no bleeding prior to diagnosis. Stools were thin like ribbon. I constantly felt the need to defecate. I never felt I had a "complete" BM. BMs were very painful and required a lot of strain. I would usually break into a cold sweat during BM fromstaining so hard. I was diagnosed Stage 2 anal cancer in 2008.
    Mike
  • torrance
    torrance Member Posts: 118
    #12
    get that second opinion, if you are told it is hems
    With mine, my "tumor" did "pop" out during bowel movements. This started between the time the lump was found and waiting to see the colorectal surgeon. Please do not let anything delay you getting absolute clarity. The peace of mind it will give you whether it is or isn't is PRICELESS. I too had minor blood, not in the toilet, and itching and thought it was my first ever hem. Glad I finally went and got confirmation. Ask for an anoscope by someone with experience, a DRE is not enough. I know you might get an DRE from your primary and be told it is a hem, but don't feel lucky and think that is it. Follow through so that there is NO doubt. Early detection leads to much higher survival rates. Please keep us posted.

    Joanne
  • goyanksjg
    goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
    #13
    mxperry220 said:

    No Bleeding For Me Either
    I had no bleeding prior to diagnosis. Stools were thin like ribbon. I constantly felt the need to defecate. I never felt I had a "complete" BM. BMs were very painful and required a lot of strain. I would usually break into a cold sweat during BM fromstaining so hard. I was diagnosed Stage 2 anal cancer in 2008.
    Mike

    mx, when you say painful, do
    mx, when you say painful, do you mean it was painful coming out. How long did you have issues before going to the doctor?
  • goyanksjg
    goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
    #14
    torrance said:

    get that second opinion, if you are told it is hems
    With mine, my "tumor" did "pop" out during bowel movements. This started between the time the lump was found and waiting to see the colorectal surgeon. Please do not let anything delay you getting absolute clarity. The peace of mind it will give you whether it is or isn't is PRICELESS. I too had minor blood, not in the toilet, and itching and thought it was my first ever hem. Glad I finally went and got confirmation. Ask for an anoscope by someone with experience, a DRE is not enough. I know you might get an DRE from your primary and be told it is a hem, but don't feel lucky and think that is it. Follow through so that there is NO doubt. Early detection leads to much higher survival rates. Please keep us posted.

    Joanne

    How long were you having
    How long were you having isuess before going to the doc? Did your tumor that popped out during bm stay out or did it go back in? Did you have backpain at all?
  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #15
    goyanksjg said:

    mx, when you say painful, do
    mx, when you say painful, do you mean it was painful coming out. How long did you have issues before going to the doctor?

    Painful
    When I had a BM I had to strain so hard it was painful. I had this situation about 6 weeks before seeing my primary care physician who then ordered a colonoscopy. I was then referred to a colorectal surgeon and the cancer treatment process started a two weeks later.
  • MyHopen413
    MyHopen413 Member Posts: 38
    #16
    I know you are worried about
    I know you are worried about what could be wrong, but it is much better to know. I had a change in bowel habits that I had ignored for months. I just attributed it to stress. My OB/GYN did an occult blood on me and it was positive. They found my cancer with a colonoscopy. But the doctor said the blood wasn't from my cancer, but from my hemmoroid. It is worth it to find out because early detection is the key to overcoming this type of cancer. Best of luck to you.
    Diane
  • goyanksjg
    goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
    #17
    MyHopen413 said:

    I know you are worried about
    I know you are worried about what could be wrong, but it is much better to know. I had a change in bowel habits that I had ignored for months. I just attributed it to stress. My OB/GYN did an occult blood on me and it was positive. They found my cancer with a colonoscopy. But the doctor said the blood wasn't from my cancer, but from my hemmoroid. It is worth it to find out because early detection is the key to overcoming this type of cancer. Best of luck to you.
    Diane

    I am terrified of what I
    I am terrified of what I might hear and that is why I havent been to the doc yet, I am 36 with 2 young boys and so many good things coming up that I am scared to go to the Doc and hear something real bad...I just keep telling myself "you haven't seen blood, you work out a lot, you don't have fatigue, it can't be cancer" but I just have a real bad feeling something is real wrong..I havent had a normal BM in months.
  • mxperry220
    mxperry220 Member Posts: 496 Member
    #18
    goyanksjg said:

    I am terrified of what I
    I am terrified of what I might hear and that is why I havent been to the doc yet, I am 36 with 2 young boys and so many good things coming up that I am scared to go to the Doc and hear something real bad...I just keep telling myself "you haven't seen blood, you work out a lot, you don't have fatigue, it can't be cancer" but I just have a real bad feeling something is real wrong..I havent had a normal BM in months.

    SEE A DOCTOR!!!!!
    I strongly advise you to see a doctor ASAP. It is critical that this type of cancer is detected early in order to have a postive outcome. If you do have anal cancer and they treat it in the early stages you have a high probability of beating this type of cancer. Otherwise the prognosis may be dim and your boys could be left without you. Please make an appointment ASAP.
    Mike
  • southernhound
    southernhound Member Posts: 14
    #19
    goyanksjg said:

    I am terrified of what I
    I am terrified of what I might hear and that is why I havent been to the doc yet, I am 36 with 2 young boys and so many good things coming up that I am scared to go to the Doc and hear something real bad...I just keep telling myself "you haven't seen blood, you work out a lot, you don't have fatigue, it can't be cancer" but I just have a real bad feeling something is real wrong..I havent had a normal BM in months.

    What you are describing
    What you are describing sounds very similar to my situation. About two years ago, I had gallbladder surgery and that afternoon before the leaving the hospital, I went in to have a BM like they require you to do. To my surprise, when I started to wipe myself, there was something like a small round balloon bulging out from my rectum. The nurse came in and looked and she did not know what was going on but she pushed it back up inside me and subsequently sent me home. I like you thought it might be a hemmorhoid. The next morning at home, the same thing happened and I immediately called the surgeon and went in to see her. She had me sit on the toilet and push like I was attempting to have a BM and she looked and it did come out again. It was diagnosed at that time as a rectal prolapse. I have lived with it for over 2 years now and recently decided to have it evaulated by a colo-rectal surgeon. He said that on a scale of 1-10, mine was at about a 7, in terms of severity and that I needed to have it fixed surgically. He told me that at this point waiting would cause further damage to my spinchter muscles because of the constant pressure being placed on them in that area and that my chances of a full recovery were better if I had it taken care of sooner rather than later. Also throughout the past 2 years, it has happened more frequently that I cannot control my BM at times and I find it difficult to keep myself clean. I also have a mucous discharge that I have no control over. I just finally reached the point that I was tired and frustrated with dealing with it and wanted to get someting done about it. I have another appt on Aug 8th for a surgical evaulation.
    In the meantime, just by chance, I found out that I have precancerous anal lesions also, but this was not what intiated my going to see the doctor. If you have a sense of fullness down there and feel like something is protruding when you have a bowel movement, I would go see a colo-rectal surgeon. Most of the other doctors are not comfortable evaulating the prolapse and do not like for you to push it out for them to see it. You will be more comfortable with the colo-rectal MD because they are accustomed to the embarassment that we feel and are better able to make you feel at ease with the situation.
    I will be happy to answer any specific questions you have,I know how difficult it is to talk to other people who have no idea what you are talking about. I didn't have any bleeding but I could sense the difference in the sensation when I would touch that tissue that was protruding with the paper. They advised me to try to avoid getting constipated and I have been using a stool softener every night (Colace) since then. I have more problems with control when I have diarrhea, so I try to avoid that as well.
    I hope you will get an answer soon and find out more about what you can do.
  • torrance
    torrance Member Posts: 118
    #20
    goyanksjg said:

    How long were you having
    How long were you having isuess before going to the doc? Did your tumor that popped out during bm stay out or did it go back in? Did you have backpain at all?

    details...
    My first symptom was an a bout of diaherria, which I NEVER get. I attributed it to stress as my daughter had been hospitalized for ten days and I was there everyday, all day and exhausted. Then I developed an external yeast infection in the anal area. Thought it was strange. Dr didn't do a DRE to check for anything suspicious. Then after that I started having some blood spotting and thought it must be hems, NEVER had those either, just assumed. While at the DR because of severe stress, I mentioned that on top of everything I thought I was having me first case of hems and told her my symptoms. She said she didn't want to put me through an exam given the fact I was under such stress. After that I had my annual PAP and didn't get a DRE at that time. Passed a stool occult test with flying colors and also no HPV. Finally went to DR again when things had settled down just to try to confirm that it was my first hem and that is when the tumor was found and I was referred to the surgeon. Just before I was scheduled for surgery is when the tumor starting coming out during a bowel movement and I would have to push it back in per the DR's orders. Really scary, the waiting part. I don't remember having back pain. I too worked out six days a week and have/had none of the "contributing" factors to anal cancer. DO NOT try to look for other explanations for what is going on, FIND OUT NOW! Early detection is everything and we are here to support you with whatever happens.

    Joanne
  • goyanksjg
    goyanksjg Member Posts: 8
    #21
    southernhound said:

    What you are describing
    What you are describing sounds very similar to my situation. About two years ago, I had gallbladder surgery and that afternoon before the leaving the hospital, I went in to have a BM like they require you to do. To my surprise, when I started to wipe myself, there was something like a small round balloon bulging out from my rectum. The nurse came in and looked and she did not know what was going on but she pushed it back up inside me and subsequently sent me home. I like you thought it might be a hemmorhoid. The next morning at home, the same thing happened and I immediately called the surgeon and went in to see her. She had me sit on the toilet and push like I was attempting to have a BM and she looked and it did come out again. It was diagnosed at that time as a rectal prolapse. I have lived with it for over 2 years now and recently decided to have it evaulated by a colo-rectal surgeon. He said that on a scale of 1-10, mine was at about a 7, in terms of severity and that I needed to have it fixed surgically. He told me that at this point waiting would cause further damage to my spinchter muscles because of the constant pressure being placed on them in that area and that my chances of a full recovery were better if I had it taken care of sooner rather than later. Also throughout the past 2 years, it has happened more frequently that I cannot control my BM at times and I find it difficult to keep myself clean. I also have a mucous discharge that I have no control over. I just finally reached the point that I was tired and frustrated with dealing with it and wanted to get someting done about it. I have another appt on Aug 8th for a surgical evaulation.
    In the meantime, just by chance, I found out that I have precancerous anal lesions also, but this was not what intiated my going to see the doctor. If you have a sense of fullness down there and feel like something is protruding when you have a bowel movement, I would go see a colo-rectal surgeon. Most of the other doctors are not comfortable evaulating the prolapse and do not like for you to push it out for them to see it. You will be more comfortable with the colo-rectal MD because they are accustomed to the embarassment that we feel and are better able to make you feel at ease with the situation.
    I will be happy to answer any specific questions you have,I know how difficult it is to talk to other people who have no idea what you are talking about. I didn't have any bleeding but I could sense the difference in the sensation when I would touch that tissue that was protruding with the paper. They advised me to try to avoid getting constipated and I have been using a stool softener every night (Colace) since then. I have more problems with control when I have diarrhea, so I try to avoid that as well.
    I hope you will get an answer soon and find out more about what you can do.

    Hey Southern
    Were your BM different because of the lump? Were they thinner and harder to get out? Thanks.

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