I too have had squamous cell cancer in the anus. I had 6 weeks of chemo and radiation. The radiation was much more difficult for me to handle than the chemo. The burns and diarrhea were very difficult and painful. The radiation destroyed my sphincter muscle and left me with fecal incontinence. That resulted in me having a colostomy. I am now 3 months post op. I am going to be 74 on my next birthday. It’s a hard call to make. I was diagnosed cancer free in September.