The good news is that the skin tag/lesion that was removed
in mid-September, which we now call a tumour, was very small; less than a
millimeter deep (stage T1), and was completely excised.
The bad news is that the pathology of the area around the
tumour shows superficial squamous cell cancer, Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (AIN), to be exact.
AIN is the name given to the appearance dysplasia, abnormal
cells, in the skin just inside or immediately outside the anus. There are very
few symptoms of AIN and it will often go undetected. The cause is of AIN is not
known but it is often associated with the human papilloma virus (HPV).
AIN has the potential to become anal cancer and/or invade
the lymph nodes.
The risk of developing anal cancer from AIN increases in
people who are immune-compromised, including HIV, and when it occurs, the AIN
to anal cancer progression may happen faster.
There are different grades of AIN (1, 2 and 3) depending on
how they look under a microscope.
Typically in a healthy person the body can completely heal
itself from AIN1. AIN3 is more serious.
I have AIN3 and it is located on the skin outside the anus.
I was given two treatment options.
Option 1. Close
follow up and monitoring of the affected area.
Option 2.
Radiation therapy to the affected area and the lymph nodes of the pelvis and
chemotherapy.
The good news is that the tumour and the AIN were found very
early and the prognosis with treatment is excellent, over 90%.
The bad news is that because I am HIV positive and because I already had a small tumour removed option 2 is the favoured and recommended course of treatment.
The bad news is that because I am HIV positive and because I already had a small tumour removed option 2 is the favoured and recommended course of treatment.
References
Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (AIN) Information for
patients
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
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