Combined chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery for epithelial cancer of the anal canal

• Published in: Cancer Vol. 57; no. 3; p. 525
• Main Authors: Meeker, Jr, W R, Sickle-Santanello, B J, Philpott, G, Kenady, D, Bland, K I, Hill, G H, Popp, M B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-02-1986
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Anus Neoplasms - mortality; Anus Neoplasms - pathology; Anus Neoplasms - therapy; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - therapy; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - mortality; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - therapy; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Staging; Radiotherapy - adverse effects
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19860201)57:3<525::AID-CNCR2820570320>3.0.CO;2-V

Combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy have been reported to produce a high incidence of complete regression of epithelial cancer of the anal canal, resulting in prolonged disease-free survival. This modality has been advocated as an alternative to abdominoperineal resection as a primary treatment for this disease. Our group treated 19 patients between 1979 and 1985. Treatment included two infusions of 5-fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2/24 hours), one dose of mitomycin C (15 mg/m2), and simultaneous whole-pelvis radiation (3000 rad). The complete response rate was 88%. Three patients had anal cancer incompletely controlled by that therapy. They underwent abdominoperineal resections and are alive without disease at 10, 39, and 43 months, respectively. Actuarial disease-free survival at 40 months was 87.5 +/- 8.8 (% +/- standard error of the mean [SEM]). Complications included gastrointestinal, hematologic, and cutaneous toxicity. These results confirmed a high complete response rate to this therapy. Local treatment failures may occur, but these may be salvaged with abdominoperineal resection.