Outcome of simultaneous radiochemotherapy of anal carcinoma

: The combined radiochemotherapy with mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil is an effective and well tolerable treatment modality. Its superiority in comparison with radiotherapy alone could not be reliably demonstrated. The goal of this paper was to analyse the results of routinely used combined modality in patients with anal carcinoma. From 1989 to 1994 simultaneous radiochemotherapy was performed in 20 patients with carcinoma of the anal canal. The 3- and 5- year survival rate was 79%, the 3- and 5-year local tumor control rate was 88% and 77%, respectively. In 2 patients a recurrence-related colostomy was performed. The acute side effects were tolerable, 2 patients (10%) suffer from moderate late effects (partial incontinence, proctitis). Our results, being of high validity due to accurate follow-up are similar to the data reported in international trials and support the hypothesis of superiority of combined radiochemotherapy compared to radiotherapy alone. In our opinion, the combined modality treatment should also be applied preferentially in practice, beyond the clinical trials.