Anal cancer begins in the end of the large intestine (colon), called the anus. The anus is about an inch and a half long and connects the lower part of the large intestine to the outside of the body. The anus opens to allow the passage of stool (feces) during a bowel movement. It is lined with cells that are like the cells lining the bladder, vagina, urethra, and other places in the body.
These cells are known as squamous cells. Many kinds of tumors can grow in the anus. Some can start off harmless but later change into cancer. These tumors are referred to as potentially pre-cancerous. The term "dysplasia" (dis-play-zhuh) is also used to describe this condition. Other tumors of the anus are not cancerous, and are called "benign" (be-nine). Examples of benign tumors are warts and skin tags (small pieces of skin that hang loose from the body).
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