The idea that perianal itching is a precursor to bowel cancer is not accurate. The most common cause of perianal itching is due to moist anal skin.
When the patient is in the advanced stage of colorectal cancer, it may cause perianal moisture, leading to perianal itching. In advanced colorectal cancer patients, due to ischemia and necrosis of tumor tissue cells or other bacterial infections, it will lead to rupture and flow of fluid. A part of purulent secretion may overflow out of the anus, making the anal skin moist for a long time and causing perianal eczema.
The purulent secretion contains a large amount of bacteria, which may also cause secondary bacterial infection of the patient’s perianal skin, worsening the itching. Therefore, bowel cancer may cause anal itching, but it is not the only cause of anal itching.
Perianal itching is a skin surgical disease with many causes. The patient may have eaten some irritating food or contact with allergy-inducing drugs and chemicals; the patient may have hemorrhoids, anal fistula and other common diseases; the patient may wear tight clothes or underwear for a long time or the sweat absorption function is not good, and so on. All of these may cause perianal itching phenomenon.
Therefore, the phenomenon of perianal itching, we should promptly go to the hospital for examination, clear diagnosis, and give reasonable treatment as soon as possible to avoid delaying the condition.