All anal cancer patients are able to get treatment. There are many options to choose from in the treatment of anal cancer. Surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are the widely accepted forms of anal cancer treatment while other types of treatment are generally considered experimental or alternative treatments. The choice of treatment depends on the stage, location, and size of the tumor. The choice takes into account the patient's age, personal preference, and general health. The three main treatments available are surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Surgery used to be the only treatment option available but research has shown the others to be as effective, if not more effective.

Surgery

Surgery is no longer the preferred treatment option involved in the treatment of anal cancer. However, it is sometimes necessary when a patient does not respond well to radiation therapy or chemotherapy. There are two different surgeries commonly performed in the treatment of anal cancer: local resection and abdominoperineal resection.

Radiation Therapy
 
Radiation therapy performed through the utilization of high energy beams to slow growth of tumors. Radiation therapy can also be performed to shrink or destroy cancer cells. There are two treatment options in radiation therapy, brachytherapy and the more common external beam radiation therapy. This treatment option is not commonly performed alone.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy utilizes a combination of drugs to target cancer cells. Unfortunately, the side effects of these drugs are unpleasant. Recent improvements in chemotherapy have helped to mitigate side effects and improve overall effectiveness.

Clinical trials

This treatment option varies to a high degree. They are carefully controlled experimental trials in cancer research. This treatment option lead to a breakthrough in anal cancer treatment for all but has its own set of risks. This choice should be made when other choices have been exhausted.

Treatment choices by stage

Surgery is recommended for earlier stage cancers. This is a viable treatment option for stage 1 anal cancer when the tumor is small enough to have the surgery performed without the prospect of severe damage to the sphincter.  Stage 2 anal cancer has more of a chance of colostomy if surgery is chosen. Therefore, chemotherapy with radiation therapy (chemoradiation) is a better choice. Chemoradiation has been clinically proven to be as good if not better than surgery in the treatment of stage 2 anal cancers. For stage 3A and 3B anal cancers, Chemoradiation is the best first treatment. If that treatment does not yield a favorable response, abdominoperineal resection may be necessary. Stage 4 anal cancers are not considered curable. At this advanced stage of anal cancer, the cancer has spread to vital organs. Doctors focus on the alleviation of symptoms if cancer is found at the this stage. The three main treatment options are also an option but success is unlikely. This patient might want to consider participating in a clinical trial in this case.