Assessment of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Patients With Anal Squamous-Cell Cancer Undergoing Combined Modality...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Limited knowledge exists on long-term bowel, sexual, and urinary function after combined modality therapy for anal squamous-cell cancer.
• This study evaluated long-term functional changes in patients treated with combined modality therapy for anal cancer.

Discussion:

• Major low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) affects a significant proportion of patients at baseline and persists post-treatment.
• Baseline LARS is the strongest predictor of post-treatment LARS, highlighting the need for proactive management.
• Bowel, sexual, and urinary functions did not demonstrate improvement up to two years post-treatment.

Key Insights:

• 39% of patients experienced major LARS at baseline, with 38% remaining symptomatic at follow-up.
• Female patients and those with pre-existing LARS had higher rates of major LARS post-treatment.
• No significant improvements in sexual arousal for women or erectile confidence for men were observed up to one year post-therapy.

Outlook:

• Physicians should counsel patients on the risk of persistent bowel dysfunction, especially those with baseline bowel issues.
• Further research is needed to explore interventions for improving functional outcomes after anal cancer treatment.
• Long-term follow-up studies are crucial for understanding the trajectory of functional recovery and informing patient care.