Anal cancer
Anal cancer starts in the anus.
The anus (back passage) is the section at the end of the large bowel. Poo passes through the anus as it leaves the body.
Anal cancer is a rare disease, affecting around 1,600 people a year in the UK. It's more common in women than in men.
Symptoms of anal cancer
The most common symptoms of anal cancer include:
- Bleeding from the anus
- Pain in or around the anus
- Itching around the anus
- Small lumps seen or felt around the anus
- Passing mucus from the anus
- An ulcer in or around the anus that doesn’t heal
- A change in pooing habits. This includes difficulty controlling your bowels (faecal incontinence) and feeling an urgent need to poo (urgency)
- Lumps in the groin area
If you have any of these symptoms, speak to your GP. Having these symptoms doesn’t always mean you have anal cancer, but it’s still important to find out what’s causing them.
Risk factors
We don’t know what causes most anal cancers, but several factors may increase your risk of developing the disease.
You are more at risk of getting anal cancer if you have one or more of the following risk factors. This doesn’t mean that you will definitely get anal cancer. Equally, if you don’t have any risk factors, it doesn’t mean you can’t get anal cancer.
- Having human papilloma virus (HPV)
- A history of cervical or vaginal cancer, or abnormal cells of the cervix
- Having a lowered immune response because of another condition or treatment for other illnesses, such as HIV or following an organ transplant
- Smoking
- Being aged over 75
More information
The Anal Cancer Foundation provides support and information for people living with or affected by anal cancer.
Macmillan Cancer Support has an anal cancer forum where you can speak to people who have been affected by anal cancer.
Updated April 2025
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