Quality of life and tumor control after short split-course chemoradiation for anal canal carcinoma
Open Access
- 23 May 2010
- journal article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Radiation Oncology
- Vol. 5 (1), 41
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-717x-5-41
Abstract
To evaluate quality of life (QOL) and outcome of patients with anal carcinoma treated with short split-course chemoradiation (CRT). From 1991 to 2005, 58 patients with anal cancer were curatively treated with CRT. External beam radiotherapy (52 Gy/26 fractions) with elective groin irradiation (24 Gy) was applied in 2 series divided by a median gap of 12 days. Chemotherapy including fluorouracil and Mitomycin-C was delivered in two sequences. Long-term QOL was assessed using the site-specific EORTC QLQ-CR29 and the global QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Five-year local control, colostomy-free survival, and overall survival were 78%, 94% and 80%, respectively. The global QOL score according to the QLQ-C30 was good with 70 out of 100. The QLQ-CR29 questionnaire revealed that 77% of patients were mostly satisfied with their body image. Significant anal pain or fecal incontinence was infrequently reported. Skin toxicity grade 3 or 4 was present in 76% of patients and erectile dysfunction was reported in 100% of male patients. Short split-course CRT for anal carcinoma seems to be associated with good local control, survival and long-term global QOL. However, it is also associated with severe acute skin toxicity and sexual dysfunction. Implementation of modern techniques such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) might be considered to reduce toxicity.Keywords
This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Concurrent Chemotherapy and Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Anal Canal Cancer Patients: A Multicenter ExperienceJournal of Clinical Oncology, 2007
- Assessing quality of life in patients with colorectal cancer: An update of the EORTC quality of life questionnaireEuropean Journal Of Cancer, 2007
- Clinical outcome after treatment with a brachytherapy boost versus external beam boost for anal carcinomaBrachytherapy, 2007
- An analysis of erectile function after intensity modulated radiation therapy for localized prostate carcinomaProstate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, 2006
- Cancer Statistics, 2006CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 2006
- Sphincter preservation with chemoradiation in anal canal carcinomaDiseases of the Colon & Rectum, 1998
- Epidermoid anal cancer: results from the UKCCCR randomised trial of radiotherapy alone versus radiotherapy, 5-fluorouracil, and mitomycinThe Lancet, 1996
- The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30: A Quality-of-Life Instrument for Use in International Clinical Trials in OncologyJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1993
- Local radiotherapy in the management of squamous carcinoma of the anusBritish Journal of Surgery, 1985
- Combined therapy for cancer of the anal canalDiseases of the Colon & Rectum, 1974