Cancer Treatment and Health Care

CANCER OF THE YEAR – PHASE II
Anal cancer stage II were formerly treated with abdominoperineal resection. Current therapies in preserving the sphincter include wide local excision of the perianal skin or anal margin for small tumors, or definitive chemoradiation (fluorouracil, and mitomycin) for cancers of the anal canal. Salvage chemoradiation therapy (fluorouracil and cisplatin plus a radiation boost) may avoid permanent colostomy in patients with residual tumor after undergoing initial nonoperative therapy. Radical resection is reserved for patients with incomplete responses or recurrent disease. It is therefore important for continued vigilance with rectal examination every 3 months during the first 2 years and endoscopy / biopsy when indicated after completion of therapy for sphincter preservation.

Standard treatment options:

1. Small tumors of the perianal skin or anal margin not
involving the anal sphincter may be adequately treated with local resection. Read the rest of this entry »