Living with anal cancer

Coping with cancer can be difficult. There is help and support available. There are things you can do, people to help and ways to cope with a diagnosis of anal cancer.

After a colostomy, you'll need to think about and adjust to practical issues and feelings around having a colostomy. It can take time to get used to all these changes. But there is a lot of support available.

Most people can have a normal sex life after having anal cancer. You will need time to recover from surgery or any other treatment.

You might need to change what you eat after treatment for anal cancer. Your digestion may need time to settle down after anal cancer treatment.

You might need some care and support at home due to anal cancer or its treatment. A lot of practical and emotional support is available to you. 

There are organisations, support groups, books, videos and other resources to help you cope with anal cancer and treatment. You can also find out about suppliers of stoma appliances.