U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Anal canal squamous carcinoma

MedGen UID:
870534
•Concept ID:
C4024982
•
Neoplastic Process
HPO: HP:0006763

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVAnal canal squamous carcinoma

Conditions with this feature

Carcinoma of anal canal
MedGen UID:
107559
•Concept ID:
C0563211
•
Neoplastic Process
A squamous cell carcinoma or less frequently an adenocarcinoma, often associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Homosexual men are at particular risk. The most important prognostic factors are tumor stage and nodal status.
See: Condition Record
Carcinoma of anal canal

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Anal Carcinoma, Version 2.2023, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.
Benson AB, Venook AP, Al-Hawary MM, Azad N, Chen YJ, Ciombor KK, Cohen S, Cooper HS, Deming D, Garrido-Laguna I, Grem JL, Hecht JR, Hoffe S, Hubbard J, Hunt S, Hussan H, Jeck W, Johung KL, Joseph N, Kirilcuk N, Krishnamurthi S, Maratt J, Messersmith WA, Meyerhardt J, Miller ED, Mulcahy MF, Nurkin S, Overman MJ, Parikh A, Patel H, Pedersen K, Saltz L, Schneider C, Shibata D, Skibber JM, Sofocleous CT, Stotsky-Himelfarb E, Tavakkoli A, Willett CG, Williams G, Algieri F, Gurski L, Stehman K
J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2023 Jun;21(6):653-677. doi: 10.6004/jnccn.2023.0030. PMID: 37308125
ECOG-ACRIN Guideline for Contouring and Treatment of Early Stage Anal Cancer Using IMRT/IGRT.
Damico N, Meyer J, Das P, Murphy J, Miller E, Koontz B, Hall W, McBride M, Pereira G, Catalano P, Chakravarthy AB, O'Dwyer PJ, Dorth J
Pract Radiat Oncol 2022 Jul-Aug;12(4):335-347. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2022.01.015. PMID: 35717050
Treatment of the Primary Tumor in Anal Canal Cancers.
Glynne-Jones R, Rao S
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2017 Jan;26(1):73-90. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2016.07.003. PMID: 27889038

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Anal Cancer: The Past, Present and Future.
Gondal TA, Chaudhary N, Bajwa H, Rauf A, Le D, Ahmed S
Curr Oncol 2023 Mar 11;30(3):3232-3250. doi: 10.3390/curroncol30030246. PMID: 36975459Free PMC Article
Anal Cancer: Emerging Standards in a Rare Disease.
Eng C, Ciombor KK, Cho M, Dorth JA, Rajdev LN, Horowitz DP, Gollub MJ, Jácome AA, Lockney NA, Muldoon RL, Washington MK, O'Brian BA, Benny A, Lebeck Lee CM, Benson AB 3rd, Goodman KA, Morris VK
J Clin Oncol 2022 Aug 20;40(24):2774-2788. Epub 2022 Jun 1 doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.02566. PMID: 35649196
Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal.
Morton M, Melnitchouk N, Bleday R
Curr Probl Cancer 2018 Sep;42(5):486-492. Epub 2018 Nov 23 doi: 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2018.11.001. PMID: 30497849
Diagnosis and Diagnostic Imaging of Anal Canal Cancer.
Ciombor KK, Ernst RD, Brown G
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2017 Jan;26(1):45-55. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2016.07.002. PMID: 27889036Free PMC Article
Anal carcinoma.
Leichman LP, Cummings BJ
Curr Probl Cancer 1990 May-Jun;14(3):117-59. doi: 10.1016/0147-0272(90)90014-h. PMID: 2202554

Diagnosis

Anal Cancer: The Past, Present and Future.
Gondal TA, Chaudhary N, Bajwa H, Rauf A, Le D, Ahmed S
Curr Oncol 2023 Mar 11;30(3):3232-3250. doi: 10.3390/curroncol30030246. PMID: 36975459Free PMC Article
Anal Cancer: Emerging Standards in a Rare Disease.
Eng C, Ciombor KK, Cho M, Dorth JA, Rajdev LN, Horowitz DP, Gollub MJ, Jácome AA, Lockney NA, Muldoon RL, Washington MK, O'Brian BA, Benny A, Lebeck Lee CM, Benson AB 3rd, Goodman KA, Morris VK
J Clin Oncol 2022 Aug 20;40(24):2774-2788. Epub 2022 Jun 1 doi: 10.1200/JCO.21.02566. PMID: 35649196
Diagnosis and Treatment of Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Gardner IH, Watson KM
Dis Colon Rectum 2020 Oct;63(10):1358-1361. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000001791. PMID: 32969877
Pathology of Anal Cancer.
Hoff PM, Coudry R, Moniz CM
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2017 Jan;26(1):57-71. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2016.07.013. PMID: 27889037
Diagnosis and Diagnostic Imaging of Anal Canal Cancer.
Ciombor KK, Ernst RD, Brown G
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2017 Jan;26(1):45-55. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2016.07.002. PMID: 27889036Free PMC Article

Therapy

Anal Cancer: The Past, Present and Future.
Gondal TA, Chaudhary N, Bajwa H, Rauf A, Le D, Ahmed S
Curr Oncol 2023 Mar 11;30(3):3232-3250. doi: 10.3390/curroncol30030246. PMID: 36975459Free PMC Article
ECOG-ACRIN Guideline for Contouring and Treatment of Early Stage Anal Cancer Using IMRT/IGRT.
Damico N, Meyer J, Das P, Murphy J, Miller E, Koontz B, Hall W, McBride M, Pereira G, Catalano P, Chakravarthy AB, O'Dwyer PJ, Dorth J
Pract Radiat Oncol 2022 Jul-Aug;12(4):335-347. doi: 10.1016/j.prro.2022.01.015. PMID: 35717050
Long-Term Outcomes of NRG Oncology/RTOG 0529: A Phase 2 Evaluation of Dose-Painted Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in Combination With 5-Fluorouracil and Mitomycin-C for the Reduction of Acute Morbidity in Anal Canal Cancer.
Kachnic LA, Winter KA, Myerson RJ, Goodyear MD, Abitbol AA, Streeter OE, Augspurger ME, Schefter TE, Katz AW, Fisher BJ, Henke LE, Narayan S, Crane CH
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2022 Jan 1;112(1):146-157. Epub 2021 Aug 14 doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2021.08.008. PMID: 34400269Free PMC Article
Immunotherapy in Anal Cancer.
Phuong L, Rajdev L
Curr Oncol Rep 2020 Jul 11;22(9):94. doi: 10.1007/s11912-020-00946-3. PMID: 32651760
RTOG 0529: a phase 2 evaluation of dose-painted intensity modulated radiation therapy in combination with 5-fluorouracil and mitomycin-C for the reduction of acute morbidity in carcinoma of the anal canal.
Kachnic LA, Winter K, Myerson RJ, Goodyear MD, Willins J, Esthappan J, Haddock MG, Rotman M, Parikh PJ, Safran H, Willett CG
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2013 May 1;86(1):27-33. Epub 2012 Nov 12 doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2012.09.023. PMID: 23154075Free PMC Article

Prognosis

Squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal.
Morton M, Melnitchouk N, Bleday R
Curr Probl Cancer 2018 Sep;42(5):486-492. Epub 2018 Nov 23 doi: 10.1016/j.currproblcancer.2018.11.001. PMID: 30497849
Nivolumab for previously treated unresectable metastatic anal cancer (NCI9673): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 study.
Morris VK, Salem ME, Nimeiri H, Iqbal S, Singh P, Ciombor K, Polite B, Deming D, Chan E, Wade JL, Xiao L, Bekaii-Saab T, Vence L, Blando J, Mahvash A, Foo WC, Ohaji C, Pasia M, Bland G, Ohinata A, Rogers J, Mehdizadeh A, Banks K, Lanman R, Wolff RA, Streicher H, Allison J, Sharma P, Eng C
Lancet Oncol 2017 Apr;18(4):446-453. Epub 2017 Feb 18 doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(17)30104-3. PMID: 28223062Free PMC Article
Pathology of Anal Cancer.
Hoff PM, Coudry R, Moniz CM
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2017 Jan;26(1):57-71. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2016.07.013. PMID: 27889037
Malignant anal tumours.
Deans GT, McAleer JJ, Spence RA
Br J Surg 1994 Apr;81(4):500-8. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800810405. PMID: 8205420
Anal carcinoma.
Leichman LP, Cummings BJ
Curr Probl Cancer 1990 May-Jun;14(3):117-59. doi: 10.1016/0147-0272(90)90014-h. PMID: 2202554

Clinical prediction guides

Management of Metastatic Anal Cancer.
Choi JDW, Shah D, El-Khoury T, Pathma-Nathan N, Toh JWT
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2025 Jan;34(1):69-81. Epub 2024 Sep 10 doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2024.08.001. PMID: 39547770
Anal cancer and precancerous lesions: a call for improvement.
Albuquerque A, Nathan M, Cappello C, Dinis-Ribeiro M
Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021 Apr;6(4):327-334. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(20)30304-6. PMID: 33714370
Pathology of Anal Cancer.
Hoff PM, Coudry R, Moniz CM
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2017 Jan;26(1):57-71. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2016.07.013. PMID: 27889037
Anal gland carcinoma.
Hobbs CM, Lowry MA, Owen D, Sobin LH
Cancer 2001 Oct 15;92(8):2045-9. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(20011015)92:8<2045::aid-cncr1543>3.0.co;2-v. PMID: 11596018
Role of mitomycin in combination with fluorouracil and radiotherapy, and of salvage chemoradiation in the definitive nonsurgical treatment of epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal: results of a phase III randomized intergroup study.
Flam M, John M, Pajak TF, Petrelli N, Myerson R, Doggett S, Quivey J, Rotman M, Kerman H, Coia L, Murray K
J Clin Oncol 1996 Sep;14(9):2527-39. doi: 10.1200/JCO.1996.14.9.2527. PMID: 8823332

Recent systematic reviews

Self-collected versus clinician-collected anal swabs for anal cancer screening: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Dyer CEF, Jin F, Hillman RJ, Nyitray AG, Roberts JM, Law C, Grulich AE, Poynten IM
Int J Cancer 2025 Jan 1;156(1):79-90. Epub 2024 Aug 14 doi: 10.1002/ijc.35133. PMID: 39140279
Assessing Circulating Tumour DNA (ctDNA) as a Biomarker for Anal Cancer Management: A Systematic Review.
Temperley HC, Fannon T, O'Sullivan NJ, O'Neill M, Mac Curtain BM, Gilham C, O'Sullivan J, O'Kane G, Mehigan BJ, O'Toole S, Larkin JO, Gallagher D, McCormick P, Kelly ME
Int J Mol Sci 2024 Apr 3;25(7) doi: 10.3390/ijms25074005. PMID: 38612815Free PMC Article
Chemoradiation vs. local excision in the management of early squamous cell carcinoma of the anus: a systematic review.
Portale G, Parotto M, Pozza A, Scarpa M, Cavallin F
Int J Colorectal Dis 2022 Sep;37(9):1937-1944. Epub 2022 Aug 24 doi: 10.1007/s00384-022-04241-4. PMID: 36002749
Outcome following local excision of T1 anal cancers-a systematic review.
Pedersen TB, Kildsig J, Serup-Hansen E, Gocht-Jensen P, Klein MF
Int J Colorectal Dis 2020 Sep;35(9):1663-1671. Epub 2020 Jul 15 doi: 10.1007/s00384-020-03687-8. PMID: 32671458
Chemoradiotherapy for squamous cell cancer of the anal canal: a systematic review.
Spithoff K, Cummings B, Jonker D, Biagi JJ; Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease Site Group
Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) 2014 Aug;26(8):473-87. Epub 2014 Apr 8 doi: 10.1016/j.clon.2014.03.005. PMID: 24721444

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Clinical resources

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.
    • Bookshelf
      See practice and clinical guidelines in NCBI Bookshelf. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Consumer resources

    Reviews

    Recent activity

    Clear Turn Off Turn On

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...