Leanne's Cancer Blog

Type of Cancer: Anal Cancer

Medical Term for the Type of Cancer: squamous cell cancer T1NOMO

Diagnosis Date: May 19

Stage of Cancer: Stage 1

Tumor Size: 0.1 - 1.0 cm

Lymph Node Involvement: No

Radiation: Radiation Therapy

Chemotherapy: Mitomycin

What I Hate Most About Cancer: side effects during treatment and not knowing what the long term side effects might be

What I Have Learned From Cancer: There are many helpful and caring people who support me.

Metastasized? Where?: No

Clinical Trials: I am in a clinical trial: De-Intensified ChemoRadiation for Early Stage Anal Squamous Cell (decrease)

Cancer Center: MD Anderson Houston

Anal Cancer symptoms: In January of 2020 I noticed a little bump on the perianal area. My doctor examined it and treated it as a hemorrhoid. With COVID19 happening that Spring, my next doctor's appointment had to be rescheduled to May. My doctor examined it again and noticed it was not getting better so she referred me to a surgeon who removes hemorrhoids and skin tags. The surgeon thought it looked like a skin tag. He gave me the option to surgically remove it or leave it. Since it was a little painful and annoying I chose surgery. After he removed it, the pathology results came back as a T1N0 invasive anal squamous cell carcinoma. After this I was seen by doctors at MD Anderson for the next two years. No concerns were reported the rest of 2020 or in 2021. In May of 2022 I was scheduled for a colonoscopy at MD Anderson. The doctor was concerned with some abnormal looking tissue in the anal canal. Biopsies confirmed 1 mm squamous cell cancer and I was diagnosed with T1NOMO. I started a clinical trial with chemo radiation on June 13.

Chemotherapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: Mitomycin 5 FU June 13-17. constipation, flushed red skin on the face, neck, chest for two days, loss of appetite, nausea. 2nd Week June 20th more constipation and mouth sores/gum sensitivity

Radiation or Proton Therapy Description, Dates & Side Effects: VMAT volume modulated arc therapy -June 13, 2022 and it will end on July 11, 2022 (20 days). Week 1 I think the side effects I felt were from the Mitomycin and 5 FU. Week 2 - slight itchiness in the outer vagina and anus and constipation, Week 3 - I am starting next week.