Hi @joan19. I'm weighing in as suggested by Kanaaz to give you another concerned member to rely on as you may wish in connection with your husband's impending cancer treatment. I'll emphasize right away that I have no personal experience with prostate cancer or rectal cancer, but some on-point experience with prostate surgery (to remove excess prostate tissue) and superficial bladder cancer uncovered when the prostate tissue was removed. Over the last several years, my urologists and I have examined my bladder, prostate, and urethra regularly and found no evidence of cancer. However, we always have a short discussion about whether rectal tumors are growing and pressuring my urinary organs in a way that forces me to urinate more often than usual. Part of that involves examination of the inside of my rectum in search of any tumors. Glad to say none has been noticed so far.

From all of this, though, I have a pretty good picture and understanding of how one might become concerned about radiation effects in this tightly packed area near the anus. Like you, I would want to have a full explanation of what an examination has found and what additional findings might mean -- especially in terms of selecting the method of surgery for attacking your husband's anal tumor. The factors involved are multiple, and I'm not able to advise you about what course to take -- except to say that your husband's medical team is probably the only source of information about this unique challenge. You should try to satisfy yourself -- through discussions with them -- that they can be relied upon to do the best for your husband -- as well as the least necessary. Martin