Presentation and Evaluation of Anal Canal Cancer

The incidence of anal cancer is low in the United States, with less than 1000 new cases diagnosed annually, but in India, it is the fourth most common cancer among men, as per the Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN) data 2020. Patients present with per-rectal bleeding and pain in most cases. Initial clinical examination is paramount for diagnosis. This chapter will describe the presentation of anal cancers, the differential diagnoses, the method of examination of such patients, and the staging of anal cancers.