Read article Should I see an anal cancer specialist?
This page tells you about seeing an anal cancer specialist.
Should I see an anal cancer specialist?
It can be very difficult for GPs to decide who may have a suspected cancer and who has something much less serious. Anal symptoms are very common, and are not usually caused by cancer. But there are particular combinations of symptoms that mean your GP should refer you to a specialist straight away. UK guidelines say that the following symptoms may need urgent referral for possible cancer of the anus
- Bleeding from the back passage that has lasted 6 weeks or longer (particularly if you have no itching or soreness)
- A lump that the GP can feel in your rectum (not in your abdomen)
- Anaemia without a known cause
According to Department of Health guidelines, you should ideally get an appointment within 2 weeks for an urgent referral.
If you have symptoms and you do not think your GP is taking them seriously enough, you could print out this page and take it to your appointment. You may be able to decide together whether you need to see a specialist, and how soon.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the about anal cancer section.
It can be very difficult for GPs to decide who may have a cancer and who may have something much more minor that will go away on its own.
With many symptoms, it is perfectly right that your GP should ask you to wait to see if they get better, or respond to treatment such as antibiotics. If GPs referred everyone who came to see them to a specialist immediately, the system would get jammed and people needing urgent appointments wouldn't be able to get them.
Anal symptoms are very common. Usually, they are due to a more minor condition than cancer. But there are particular combinations of symptoms that mean your GP should refer you to a specialist straight away.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Government have produced guidelines for GPs in the UK to help them decide which patients need to see a specialist urgently.
These guidelines say that, ideally, you should see a specialist within 2 weeks of going to the GP if you have symptoms that could be due to a bowel cancer.
The guidelines leave it up to your GP to use their own judgement. If you have been having the same symptoms on and off for years, have had tests and were found not to have cancer, your GP should not be expected to refer you as an urgent case each time the same symptoms come back.
The guidelines also advise your doctor to take your age into account. Bleeding from the back passage is very common in people in their 30s and is nearly always caused by piles (haemorrhoids). Piles are nearly always accompanied by itching and soreness. So if you are young and have these symptoms, you are much more likely to have piles than anal or bowel cancer. And your doctor won't refer you urgently to a specialist.
According to the NICE and Scottish Executive guidelines, if you have symptoms that could be due to a cancer you should have an urgent referral and see a specialist within 2 weeks. The symptoms that may need urgent referral for possible cancer of the anus are
- Bleeding from the back passage that has lasted for 6 weeks or longer (particularly if you have no itching or soreness)
- A lump that the GP can feel in your rectum (not your abdomen)
- A type of anaemia (low red blood cells) called iron deficiency anaemia, without a known cause
If you have symptoms and are concerned that your GP is not taking them as seriously as you think they should, you could print this page and take it along to an appointment. Ask your GP to talk it through with you and you may be able to decide together whether you need to see a specialist and if so, how soon.
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