Organ preservation in carcinoma of the anal canal

Over a 9-year period, 52 patients with anal carcinoma were observed: there were 18 males and 34 females (ratio: 1:1.9); mean age was 62 years. In 37 patients (71%) the neoplasm origin was in the anal canal, in the margin in 14 (27%) and a coaclogenic form was located in the lower rectum in one. 39 patients (75%) showed an epidermoid carcinoma and 13 (25%) an adenocarcinoma. Treatment consisted in two cycles of 5FU (1000 mg/m2/24 h, day 1-4), mitomycin C (10 mg/m2 bolus, day 1) plus radiotherapy (23.4 Gy, split course with 4- week rest). At 6-8 weeks, brachytherapy was performed for epidermoid lesions of the anal canal and margin while adenocarcinomas were referred to surgery. Sphincter preservation at 5 years was 64%. In epidermoid carcinomas sphincter preservation was 69% vs 45% in adenocarcinomas (p = 0.17). In patients treated with a curative intent and presenting with epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal, sphincter preservation was 77% vs no patient with adenocarcinoma of the anal canal. In 53% of patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the anal margin there was sphincter preservation. Overall 5-year survival was 62%, better for epidermoid carcinoma (69% vs 36%; p = 0.02) but similar as for the site (anal canal:62%; anal margin:60%).