Anal rectal disease symptoms are often ignored by patients who may just live with them and by physicians who may not be terribly well trained in this area. Anorectal disease is very common and includes diagnoses such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures or tears, itching which can be severe or persistent, rectal bleeding, anal warts and even anal cancer which is not the same as colon cancer. Autoimmune disease such as crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis may present in the anorectum. Rectal bleeding or blood on wiping after a bowel movement could be a symptom of something more serious such as colon cancer which is quite common and often incurable once it's advanced. I hope that this podcast shines some light on questions you may have any certainly useful information. This is Waqar Qureshi, MD, FRCP, FASGE, FACG and Professor of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas