Cancer Treatment Today

Systemic chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment for patient with metastatic anal cancer. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines currently recommend cisplatin and 5FU chemotherapy as first-line treatment of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This is largely based on a study of 19 patients treated with cisplatin 100 mg/m2 and infusional 5FU 1 gm/m2/day over 5 days with a 66% response rate; there was 1 complete

The term ‘combined resection” refers to removing the primary cancer and one or a few metastatic area, in the hope that there are no metastases and that it will lead to a cure or prolonged period of being free of cancer. While a combined resection of rectal cancer and partial liver resection of metastases is well established, the same is not the case for anal cancer. Metastatic anal cancer is not well studied in regard to a combined resection.