digestive disorders
Anal Cancer
Diagnosis of Anal Cancer
A doctor's evaluation Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy Biopsy To diagnose anal cancer, a doctor first inspects the skin around the anus for any abnormalities. With a gloved hand, the doctor probes the anus and lower rectum, checking for any portions of the lining that feel different from surrounding areas. A flexible sigmoidoscope (a short viewing tube with a camera on the end) is used to evaluate the anus and rectum. An anoscope (a small rigid tube equipped with a light) may be inserted several inches into the anus to assist with examination. The doctor then removes a sample of tissue from an abnormal area and examines it under a microscope (called a biopsy). Once anal cancer is diagnosed, other imaging tests, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are done to determine whether the cancer has spread (metastasized). If people have bleeding, doctors may do a colonoscopy to look for a coexisting Colorectal Cancer . During a colonoscopy, the entire large intestine is examined. A colonoscopy may be done even in people with who have obvious 