Prevention
- Get the HPV vaccine — it prevents the infections that cause most anal cancers
- Don't smoke (smoking raises anal-cancer risk)
- Practice safer sex to lower HPV exposure
Screening for those at higher risk
- People with HIV, prior HPV-related cancers, or immunosuppression may benefit from screening
- Screening can include anal Pap tests and high-resolution anoscopy
- Report bleeding, pain, or a lump — don't assume it's hemorrhoids
Highly curable when caught early
Anal cancer is one of medicine's success stories: chemoradiation cures most cases without surgery, preserving normal function.
Caring for your skin during treatment
Understand anal cancer
Read our plain-language guide, or talk with our team.