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Anal squamous cell carcinoma

MedGen UID:
237257
•Concept ID:
C1412036
•
Neoplastic Process
Synonyms: anal squamous cell cancer; Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; anal squamous cell carcinoma; ANSC; anus squamous cell carcinoma; Epidermoid Anal Carcinoma; epidermoid anal carcinoma; Epidermoid Carcinoma of Anus; epidermoid carcinoma of anus; Epidermoid Carcinoma of the Anus; epidermoid carcinoma of the anus; Squamous Cell Anal Carcinoma; squamous cell anal carcinoma; squamous cell carcinoma - anus; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Anus; squamous cell carcinoma of anus; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anus; squamous cell carcinoma of the anus
SNOMED CT: Anal squamous cell carcinoma (255084004)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0006082

Definition

A squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from the anal canal or the anal margin (perianal skin). Human papillomavirus is detected in the majority of cases. Homosexual HIV-positive men have an increased risk of developing anal squamous cell carcinoma in comparison to the general male population. Symptoms include anal pruritus, discomfort when sitting, pain, change in bowel habit, and bleeding. The prognosis is generally better for anal margin SCC than for anal canal SCC. [from NCI]

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
Follow-up imaging of anal cancer after treatment.
El Homsi M, Sheedy SP, Rauch GM, Ganeshan DM, Ernst RD, Golia Pernicka JS
Abdom Radiol (NY) 2023 Sep;48(9):2888-2897. Epub 2023 Apr 6 doi: 10.1007/s00261-023-03895-0. PMID: 37024606
Expert Commentary on Diagnosis and Treatment of Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Heriot AG
Dis Colon Rectum 2020 Oct;63(10):1361-1362. doi: 10.1097/DCR.0000000000001801. PMID: 32969878

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Immunotherapy in Anal Cancer.
Dhawan N, Afzal MZ, Amin M
Curr Oncol 2023 Apr 27;30(5):4538-4550. doi: 10.3390/curroncol30050343. PMID: 37232801Free PMC Article
Follow-up imaging of anal cancer after treatment.
El Homsi M, Sheedy SP, Rauch GM, Ganeshan DM, Ernst RD, Golia Pernicka JS
Abdom Radiol (NY) 2023 Sep;48(9):2888-2897. Epub 2023 Apr 6 doi: 10.1007/s00261-023-03895-0. PMID: 37024606
Salvage Surgery for Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Still a Difficult Challenge.
de Paiva ACM, Nahas SC, Kimura CMS, Moniz CMV, Marques CFS, Júnior UR, Nahas CSR
J Gastrointest Surg 2023 Jun;27(6):1258-1260. Epub 2022 Dec 12 doi: 10.1007/s11605-022-05486-8. PMID: 36509896
Pembrolizumab for previously treated advanced anal squamous cell carcinoma: results from the non-randomised, multicohort, multicentre, phase 2 KEYNOTE-158 study.
Marabelle A, Cassier PA, Fakih M, Kao S, Nielsen D, Italiano A, Guren TK, van Dongen MGJ, Spencer K, Bariani GM, Ascierto PA, Santoro A, Shah M, Asselah J, Iqbal S, Takahashi S, Piha-Paul SA, Ott PA, Chatterjee A, Jin F, Norwood K, Delord JP
Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022 May;7(5):446-454. Epub 2022 Feb 1 doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00382-4. PMID: 35114169
Locally Recurrent Disease Related to Anal Canal Cancers.
Sammour T, Rodriguez-Bigas MA, Skibber JM
Surg Oncol Clin N Am 2017 Jan;26(1):115-125. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2016.07.006. PMID: 27889030

Diagnosis

Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Updates From the Last 3 Years.
Albuquerque A
J Low Genit Tract Dis 2023 Jul 1;27(3):252-254. Epub 2023 May 11 doi: 10.1097/LGT.0000000000000749. PMID: 37166025
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
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
An overview of anal intraepithelial neoplasia.
Buzard CL, Rizzolo D
JAAPA 2018 Jul;31(7):1-5. doi: 10.1097/01.JAA.0000534979.69236.e7. PMID: 29957613
A Prolapsing Pile Revealing Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Daniel F, Trak-Smayra V, Ziade N
Am J Gastroenterol 2016 Apr;111(4):454. doi: 10.1038/ajg.2015.307. PMID: 27125703

Therapy

Systemic Therapy for Stage I-III Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: ASCO Guideline.
Morris VK, Kennedy EB, Amin MA, Aranha O, Benson AB 3rd, Dorth JA, Horowitz DP, Kennecke HF, Kim S, Kreppel L, Mettu NB, Rajdev L, Riechelmann R, Sio TT, Eng C
J Clin Oncol 2025 Feb 10;43(5):605-615. Epub 2024 Dec 16 doi: 10.1200/JCO-24-02120. PMID: 39680825
Immune-checkpoint inhibitors in anal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pala L, De Pas T, Stucchi E, Catania C, Cocorocchio E, Zampino MG, Rossi G, Zattarin E, Di Muzio A, Laszlo D, Stucchi S, Conforti F
Semin Oncol 2023 Dec;50(6):140-143. Epub 2023 Nov 24 doi: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2023.11.002. PMID: 38065801
Anal Cancer and Anal Cancer Screening.
Cohen CM, Clarke MA
Clin Obstet Gynecol 2023 Sep 1;66(3):516-533. Epub 2023 Jul 13 doi: 10.1097/GRF.0000000000000789. PMID: 37439541Free PMC Article
Pembrolizumab for previously treated advanced anal squamous cell carcinoma: results from the non-randomised, multicohort, multicentre, phase 2 KEYNOTE-158 study.
Marabelle A, Cassier PA, Fakih M, Kao S, Nielsen D, Italiano A, Guren TK, van Dongen MGJ, Spencer K, Bariani GM, Ascierto PA, Santoro A, Shah M, Asselah J, Iqbal S, Takahashi S, Piha-Paul SA, Ott PA, Chatterjee A, Jin F, Norwood K, Delord JP
Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022 May;7(5):446-454. Epub 2022 Feb 1 doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00382-4. PMID: 35114169
Chemoradiotherapy for anal squamous cell carcinoma.
Houlihan OA, O'Neill BD
Surgeon 2016 Aug;14(4):202-12. Epub 2016 Apr 23 doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2016.03.006. PMID: 27118047

Prognosis

Follow-up imaging of anal cancer after treatment.
El Homsi M, Sheedy SP, Rauch GM, Ganeshan DM, Ernst RD, Golia Pernicka JS
Abdom Radiol (NY) 2023 Sep;48(9):2888-2897. Epub 2023 Apr 6 doi: 10.1007/s00261-023-03895-0. PMID: 37024606
How I treat anal squamous cell carcinoma.
Martini G, Arrichiello G, Borrelli C, Poliero L, Martinelli E
ESMO Open 2020 Sep;4(Suppl 2):e000711. doi: 10.1136/esmoopen-2020-000711. PMID: 32883674Free PMC Article
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
Anal squamous cell carcinoma - State of the art management and future perspectives.
Martin D, Balermpas P, Winkelmann R, Rödel F, Rödel C, Fokas E
Cancer Treat Rev 2018 Apr;65:11-21. Epub 2018 Feb 22 doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2018.02.001. PMID: 29494827
Chemoradiotherapy for anal squamous cell carcinoma.
Houlihan OA, O'Neill BD
Surgeon 2016 Aug;14(4):202-12. Epub 2016 Apr 23 doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2016.03.006. PMID: 27118047

Clinical prediction guides

Construction and validation of a prognostic nomogram for anal squamous cell carcinoma.
Yang N, Xu L, Wang Q, Chen F, Zhou Y
Cancer Med 2022 Jan;11(2):392-405. Epub 2021 Dec 1 doi: 10.1002/cam4.4458. PMID: 34850581Free PMC Article
The Association Between Sex and Survival for Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Welten VM, Fields AC, Malizia RA, Yoo J, Irani JL, Bleday R, Goldberg JE, Melnitchouk N
J Surg Res 2021 Dec;268:474-484. Epub 2021 Aug 20 doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.07.015. PMID: 34425409
Anal squamous cell carcinoma - State of the art management and future perspectives.
Martin D, Balermpas P, Winkelmann R, Rödel F, Rödel C, Fokas E
Cancer Treat Rev 2018 Apr;65:11-21. Epub 2018 Feb 22 doi: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2018.02.001. PMID: 29494827
Molecular biology of anal squamous cell carcinoma: implications for future research and clinical intervention.
Bernardi MP, Ngan SY, Michael M, Lynch AC, Heriot AG, Ramsay RG, Phillips WA
Lancet Oncol 2015 Dec;16(16):e611-21. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(15)00292-2. PMID: 26678214
Anal squamous cell carcinoma: an evolution in disease and management.
Osborne MC, Maykel J, Johnson EK, Steele SR
World J Gastroenterol 2014 Sep 28;20(36):13052-9. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i36.13052. PMID: 25278699Free PMC Article

Recent systematic reviews

Systemic Therapy for Stage I-III Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: ASCO Guideline.
Morris VK, Kennedy EB, Amin MA, Aranha O, Benson AB 3rd, Dorth JA, Horowitz DP, Kennecke HF, Kim S, Kreppel L, Mettu NB, Rajdev L, Riechelmann R, Sio TT, Eng C
J Clin Oncol 2025 Feb 10;43(5):605-615. Epub 2024 Dec 16 doi: 10.1200/JCO-24-02120. PMID: 39680825
Systematic review of survival following liver or lung metastasectomy for metastatic anal squamous cell carcinoma.
Hurt L, Barlow E, Davies M, Harris DA, Barrington C, Harries RL
Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2025 Feb;107(2):92-97. Epub 2024 Mar 18 doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2023.0005. PMID: 38497793Free PMC Article
Immune-checkpoint inhibitors in anal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Pala L, De Pas T, Stucchi E, Catania C, Cocorocchio E, Zampino MG, Rossi G, Zattarin E, Di Muzio A, Laszlo D, Stucchi S, Conforti F
Semin Oncol 2023 Dec;50(6):140-143. Epub 2023 Nov 24 doi: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2023.11.002. PMID: 38065801
Carcinogenesis and Cancer Progression in De Novo Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Organ Transplantation: A Systematic Review.
Borin A, Violi P, Eccher A, Zaza G, Carraro A
Exp Clin Transplant 2022 Feb;20(2):122-129. doi: 10.6002/ect.2021.0412. PMID: 35282809
Radiotherapy alone versus chemoradiotherapy for stage I anal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Talwar G, Daniel R, McKechnie T, Levine O, Eskicioglu C
Int J Colorectal Dis 2021 Jun;36(6):1111-1122. Epub 2021 Jan 24 doi: 10.1007/s00384-021-03846-5. PMID: 33486535

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