Statistics and outlook for cancer of the anus

On this page there is quite detailed information about the survival rates of different stages of anal cancer. We have included it because people ask us for this. But not everyone who is diagnosed with a cancer wants to read this type of information. If you are not sure whether you want to know at the moment, you might like to skip this page for now. You can always come back to it.

Please note: There are no national statistics available for different stages of cancer or treatments that people have had. The statistics we present here are pulled together from a variety of different sources, including the opinions and experience of the experts who check each section of CancerHelp UK. We provide statistics because people ask us for them. But they are only intended as a general guide and cannot tell you what will happen in your individual case.

The CancerHelp UK section on incidence, mortality and survival statistics explains the different types of cancer statistics. Unless you are very familiar with medical statistics, it might help to read this before you read the statistics below.

Remember - You may hear doctors use the term ‘5 year survival’. This does not mean you will only live 5 years. It relates to the number of people who are alive 5 years after diagnosis. Doctors follow what happens to people for at least 5 years after treatment in any research study. This is because there is only a small chance of the cancer coming back more than 5 years after treatment. Doctors do not like to say these people are cured because there is that small chance. So they use the term ‘5 year survival’ instead.

The statistics on this page are 'relative' survival figures. This means that they don't include people with anal cancer who have died from other causes. Cancer statistics are often worked out this way because it gives a more accurate picture of the survival rate of the cancer. Many people with cancer are older and may not die from their cancer, but from other illnesses, such as heart disease.

As with many types of cancer, the outcome of anal cancer depends on how advanced it is when you are diagnosed. In other words, the stage of the cancer. Because anal cancer is rare, it is harder to draw conclusions from the statistics because they are based on a small number of people.

In people diagnosed with anal cancer, about 6 out of 10 (60%) men, and 7 out 10 (70%) women will live for at least 5 years. These are overall figures and include all stages of anal cancer.

For people diagnosed with stage 1 and 2 anal cancer about 4 out of 5 (80%) will live for at least 5 years.

In people whose cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or nearby body structures, such as the bladder or urethra (stage 3A) around 3 out of 5 (60%) will live for at least 5 years.

The outlook is poorer if the cancer

• has spread to both the lymph nodes and nearby structures
• affects lymph nodes on both sides of the body
• or has spread to distant organs (stage 3B and stage 4).

In this situation, around 1 out of 5 people (20%) will live for at least 5 years.

No statistics can tell you what will happen to you. Your cancer is unique. The same type of cancer can grow at different rates in different people. The statistics are not detailed enough to tell you

• About the different treatments people may have had
• How that treatment may have affected their prognosis

Many individual factors will determine your treatment and prognosis.

Research evidence shows that taking part in clinical trials may improve outlook. No one is completely sure why this is. It is probably partly to do with your doctors and nurses monitoring you more closely if you are in a trial. For example, you may have more scans and blood tests. There is more information in the trials and research section of CancerHelp UK. You can also search our clinical trials database for trials for cancer of the anus. Pick 'bowel' and then ‘anal’ from the dropdown menu of cancer types.