Can a twenty-year anal fistula turn into cancer?

Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
Updated on March 08, 2025
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Firstly, anal fistulas can become cancerous. Statistical data show that the probability of malignant transformation in anal fistulas is 1/1000, and such transformations are relatively rare in clinical practice. However, anal fistulas can change, but the timing of malignant transformation varies. Generally, the longer the duration of an anal fistula, the higher the chance of it becoming cancerous. The factors contributing to this transformation typically include chronic inflammation, long-term irritation, bacterial infection, and stimulation from medications, all of which can lead to cancerous changes.

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Written by Deng Heng
Colorectal Surgery
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What are the symptoms of anal fistula?

An anal fistula generally refers to a tract left behind after an anal abscess bursts on its own or is surgically opened. It usually consists of a primary internal opening and a secondary external opening. The main clinical manifestations, or primary symptoms, are: The first is discharge of pus, which occurs due to recurrent infections in the anal fistula; The second is pain. When the external opening is closed, the pus inside cannot drain properly, or when drainage is poor, this leads to accumulation of pus in the fistula tract, causing localized pain; The third is itching. Continuous irritation of the skin around the external opening by pus draining from the fistula tract can cause itching around the anus and may lead to symptoms like anal eczema.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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How to cure anal fistula completely

The radical treatment of anal fistula mainly involves surgery, with the choice of surgery being the anal fistula cutting and ligation operation. This primarily utilizes a ligature or elastic band to loop through the local sphincter, thereby achieving slow cutting and drainage of secretions. Anal fistula is considered a local infectious lesion at the anus, and the fundamental principle of the surgery is to remove the local fistula tract and the wall of the fistula completely through cutting and ligation, and after thoroughly removing the local infection, fresh granulation tissue can regrow. Due to the prolonged location of the local lesion in anal fistulas, postoperative wound dressing and drainage are very important. The wound can be disinfected daily with povidone-iodine, and gauze impregnated with oil can be used for pressurized drainage to help facilitate the flow of local secretions.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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How long does it take to recover after surgery for an anal fistula?

Healing after surgery for an anal fistula requires some time, and the longer healing duration is mainly related to two factors: The first reason is that anal fistula is a localized infectious disease of the anus with the presence of a fistula. The principle of surgery is primarily to remove the fistula. Therefore, after the surgery, the wound surface from the removed fistula wall is relatively large and requires time to heal. The second reason is that the local area around the anus is a contaminated wound, with feces passing through daily. Feces are a significant source of contamination, so the wound healing is influenced by the irritation from feces, resulting in a non-sterile wound environment. Consequently, the wound healing rate after the surgery is slower compared to the healing rate of sterile wounds in other body tissues. Therefore, the recovery time after anal fistula surgery is approximately 3 to 4 weeks.

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Written by Chen Tian Jing
Colorectal Surgery
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What should be paid attention to for anal fistula?

Patients with anal fistula, as there is an external opening in the anal region and intermittent thick secretion from this opening, should first ensure to keep the perianal area clean. It is recommended to change underwear daily and to cleanse the area after bowel movements with saline or hemorrhoid wash, and to conduct fumigation and hot compresses around the perianal area and the external opening to prevent irritation and even sharp pain caused by residual feces and secretions. Furthermore, during acute episodes of anal fistula, mupirocin ointment can be applied around the external opening for anti-inflammatory treatment. The definitive surgery for anal fistula primarily involves fistulotomy with seton placement. Without surgery, an anal fistula cannot be completely cured and may lead to worsened conditions such as thickening of the fistula wall or increased branching of the fistula channels.

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Written by Yang Dong
Colorectal Surgery Department
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Is the probability of anal fistula turning into cancer high?

An anal fistula, formed due to an anal gland infection, carries a higher risk of malignant transformation if the infection and inflammation are recurrent and persistent, particularly over a long period exceeding five years. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that anal fistulas exceeding five years should be given sufficient attention and surgical treatment should be pursued promptly to prevent malignancy.