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Previous Volume 342:792-800 March 16, 2000 Number 11 Next

	Since this article has no abstract, we have provided an extract of the first 100 words of the full text and any section headings.

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Carcinoma of the anal canal accounts for 1.5 percent of digestive-system cancers in the United States, with an estimated 3400 new cases in 2000.¹ Thirty years ago, anal cancer was believed to be caused by chronic, local inflammation of the perianal area^2,3 and was treated with an abdominoperineal resection, necessitating a permanent colostomy.⁴ As the result of a series of epidemiologic studies, it is now apparent that the development of anal cancer is associated with infection by human papillomavirus, which is usually sexually transmitted. Moreover, in the majority of patients, the condition can be cured by concurrent chemotherapy and radiation . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Anatomical Features, Histologic Findings, and Presentation

Epidemiologic Associations

Physical Trauma or Inflammation

Sexual Activity

Human Papillomavirus

Immunosuppression

HIV Infection

Smoking

Surgical Treatment

Primary Radiation Therapy

Combination Therapy

Results of Randomized Trials

The Role of Mitomycin

The Potential Role of Cisplatin

Treatment of Persistent and Recurrent Disease

Summary

Source Information

From the Department of Adult Oncology, Dana–Farber Cancer Institute (D.P.R., R.J.M.); the Division of Hematology–Oncology and the Department of Medicine (D.P.R., R.J.M.) and the Department of Pathology (C.C.C.), Massachusetts General Hospital; the Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital (D.P.R., R.J.M.); and Harvard Medical School (D.P.R., C.C.C., R.J.M.) — all in Boston.

Address reprint requests to Dr. Mayer at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, MA 02115.

References

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