title: Radiochemotherapy for anal carcinoma - effectivity and late toxicity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radiochemotherapy of anal carcinoma is an organ-sparing approach with a high curative potential. The purpose was to evaluate the effectivity and late toxicity for patients treated with radiochemotherapy in our department.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 1990-2000, 27 patients with anal carcinoma were treated at the Universitätsklinikum Mannheim. The median follow-up time was 23 months (max. 68 months). Before treatment, 23 patients were colostomy-free. Patients were treated according to 3 different protocols (Cummings n = 8, EORTC n = 5, RTOG n = 14). Acute toxicity was scored according to the RTOG/EORTC scale, and late toxicity according to the LENT/SOMA scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  25 patients completed the therapy. One patient died due to leukopenic sepsis, and 1 patient interrupted therapy. 4 patients had a tumor relapse (2 patients immunosuppressed, 1 T4 tumor and 1 recurrence at the field-margin), one underwent abdomino- perineal resection. This resulted in a disease-free survival of about 80% and colostomy-free survival of 90% at 5 years. Total doses < 50 Gy and immunosuppression resulted in higher recurrence rates. Most patients suffered from acute toxicity grades 2 (n = 7) and 3 (n = 19) and late toxicity grades 1 (n = 7) and 2 (n = 4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiochemotherapy for anal carcinoma is an effective therapy with acceptable toxicity. Immunosuppressed patients have a higher risk for tumor recurrences and should be monitored more closely.
authors.affiliation: Sektion Strahlentherapie, Institut für Klinische Radiologie, Universitätsklinikum Mannheim, Germany. sabine.mai@radonk.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grieger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lachmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bohrer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tiefenbacher
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wenz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D002423:Cause of Death; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016685:Mitomycin; D005472:Fluorouracil