ASTRO Issues Clinical Guideline for Use of Radiation Therapy in Anal Cancer

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 12, 2025.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, March 12, 2025 -- In a clinical practice guideline issued by the American Society for Radiation Oncology and published online Feb. 27 in Practical Radiation Oncology, evidence-based recommendations are presented to address indications for definitive treatment of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal and anal margin.

Mary Feng, M.D., from the University of California in San Francisco, and colleagues recommend multidisciplinary evaluation and decision-making for all patients. For most patients, definitive treatment with combined modality therapy is recommended using concurrent 5-fluorouracil or capecitabine plus mitomycin, with cisplatin as a conditional alternative to mitomycin with radiation therapy (RT). Local excision alone may be considered for select patients with early-stage disease. The primary tumor/anal canal and rectum and mesorectal, presacral, internal and external iliac, obturator, and inguinal lymph nodes should be included in RT target volumes.

The authors also present a recommendation for intensity-modulated RT-based treatment approaches. Depending on disease stage and RT approach and adapted for risk, the primary tumor should receive doses of 4,500 to 5,940 cGy in 25 to 33 fractions, and clinically involved lymph nodes should receive 5,040 to 5,400 cGy in 28 to 30 fractions. To minimize acute and chronic treatment-related toxicity, dose guidance for normal tissues and measures are provided by the guideline. Treatment breaks should be kept to a minimum.

"Radiation therapy plays a central role in managing anal cancer, offering patients an effective, organ-preserving definitive treatment," Feng said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2025-03-13 06:00

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords