title: Radiochemotherapy in Anal Cancer: cCR, clinical outcomes and quality of life using two different treatment schedules.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Main endpoint was a response rate to therapy; secondary endpoints were disease-free survival, overall survival, acute and late toxicities, specially in terms of anorectal and urinary continence.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Radiochemotherapy for anal cancer achieves a good clinical response, locoregional control, anal function preservation. However, oncologic outcomes can differ using radiotherapy plus fluorouracil and mytomicin vs. cisplatin and fluorouracil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2000 and 2012, 27 anal cancer patients receiving radiotherapy combined with two different radiochemotherapy schedules, fluorouracil and mytomicin (group A) and cisplatin plus fluorouracil (group B). The Kaplan-Meier method was also used to estimate local control, overall survival and disease free survival. Statistical significance between curves was evaluated using the Log-rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete pathological response was found in 85.2% of patients, with higher rates of response in the group A (100% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.039). No significantly difference was found between the two groups for the other endpoints. Low rates of both acute and late toxicities were recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiotherapy plus fluorouracil and mytomicin provide a better complete pathological response than radiotherapy plus cisplatin and fluorouracil and a greater rate of anal sphincter function preservation. Globally, radiochemotherapy of the anal cancer provides excellent clinical outcomes with a good profile of acute and late toxicity, without difference between the two groups studied.
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Di Santo
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Marianna
authors: M
authors: Trignani
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Neri
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Milano
authors: Department of Surgery, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Innocenti
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Taraborrelli
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Antonietta
authors: A
authors: Augurio
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Annamaria
authors: A
authors: Vinciguerra
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Di Tommaso
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Lucia Anna
authors: LA
authors: Ursini
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Di Pilla
authors: Laboratory of Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Science, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Di Nicola
authors: Department of Radiotherapy, "S.S. Annunziata" Hospital, "G. D'Annunzio" University, via dei Vestini, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Genovesi
keywords: Anal cancer; Complete clinical response; FUMIR; PLAFUR; Radiotherapy