title: Low acute toxicity of radiotherapy and radiochemotherapy in patients with cancer of the anal canal and HIV-infection.
abstract: Although not an AIDS-defining malignancy, anal cancer is an evolving problem in HIV-infected patients. Treatment-tolerance to radiotherapy as well as to chemotherapy is supposed to be reduced in patients with HIV-infection. From January 1995 to January 1997, four patients with epidermoid cancer of the anal canal and a long history of HIV-infection but without symptoms of AIDS or repeated severe infections were treated with radiotherapy (n = 1) or radiochemotherapy (n = 3). External beam radiotherapy with 45 Gy to the tumor and pelvic as well as inguinal lymphatic drainage was administered. In tumors larger than T2 N0 lesions an additional boost of 9 Gy was given. Chemotherapy consisted of 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m2/24 h, d 1-4 two cycles and Mitomycin C either 1 x 15 mg/m2, d 1 in the first, or 2 x 10 mg/m2, d 1, in the first and fifth week of radiotherapy. Acute reactions were mild to moderate in all patients and all but one treatment could be given as scheduled (1 patient with a delay of 4 days). No excessive acute reactions were seen. Because of the short follow-up, late reactions and local control are not yet evaluable.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Strahlentherapie, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin der Freien Universität Berlin, Germany. hoecht@ukbf.fu-berlin.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Höcht
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wiegel
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kroesen
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Berdel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Runkel
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hinkelbein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D016685:Mitomycin; D005472:Fluorouracil