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Patterns of recurrence in anal cancer : A detailed analysis

Nilsson, Martin P. LU ; Nilsson, Erik D. LU ; Johnsson, Anders LU ; Leon, Otilia LU ; Gunnlaugsson, Adalsteinn LU and Scherman, Jonas (2020) In Radiation Oncology 15.
Abstract

Background: Anal cancer is a rare disease, which might be the reason for the "one size fits all" approach still used for radiotherapy target contouring. To refine and individualize future guidelines, detailed and contemporary pattern of recurrence studies are needed. Methods: Consecutive anal cancer patients, all treated with curative intent intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), were retrospectively studied (n = 170). Data was extracted from medical records and radiological images. Radiotherapy planning CT's and treatment plans were reviewed, and recurrences were mapped and categorized according to radiation dose. Results: The mean dose to the primary tumor was 59.0 Gy. With a median follow-up of 50 months (range 14-117 months),... (More)

Background: Anal cancer is a rare disease, which might be the reason for the "one size fits all" approach still used for radiotherapy target contouring. To refine and individualize future guidelines, detailed and contemporary pattern of recurrence studies are needed. Methods: Consecutive anal cancer patients, all treated with curative intent intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), were retrospectively studied (n = 170). Data was extracted from medical records and radiological images. Radiotherapy planning CT's and treatment plans were reviewed, and recurrences were mapped and categorized according to radiation dose. Results: The mean dose to the primary tumor was 59.0 Gy. With a median follow-up of 50 months (range 14-117 months), 5-year anal cancer specific survival was 86.1%. Only 1 of 20 local recurrences was located outside the high dose (CTVT) volume. More patients experienced a distant recurrence (n = 34; 20.0%) than a locoregional recurrence (n = 24; 14.1%). Seven patients (4.2%) had a common iliac and/or para-aortic (CI/PA) recurrence. External iliac lymph node involvement (P = 0.04), and metastases in ≥3 inguinal or pelvic lymph node regions (P = 0.02) were associated with a 15-18% risk of CI/PA recurrence. Following chemoradiotherapy, 6 patients with recurrent or primary metastatic CI/PA lymph nodes were free of recurrence at last follow-up. The overall rate of ano-inguinal lymphatic drainage (AILD) recurrence was 2 of 170 (1.2%), and among patients with inguinal metastases at initial diagnosis it was 2 of 65 (3.1%). Conclusions: We conclude that other measures than increased margins around the primary tumor are needed to improve local control. Furthermore, metastatic CI/PA lymph nodes, either at initial diagnosis or in the recurrent setting, should be considered potentially curable. Patients with certain patterns of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes might be at an increased risk of harboring tumor cells also in the CI/PA lymph nodes.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anal cancer, Anal carcinoma, Ano-inguinal lymphatic drainage, Para-aortic, Radiotherapy, Recurrence
in
Radiation Oncology
volume
15
article number
125
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • pmid:32460785
  • scopus:85085539549
ISSN
1748-717X
DOI
10.1186/s13014-020-01567-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8ebabf1d-773c-4d94-9791-5bfdce11b917
date added to LUP
2020-06-16 11:10:07
date last changed
2024-04-03 08:07:04
@article{8ebabf1d-773c-4d94-9791-5bfdce11b917,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Anal cancer is a rare disease, which might be the reason for the "one size fits all" approach still used for radiotherapy target contouring. To refine and individualize future guidelines, detailed and contemporary pattern of recurrence studies are needed. Methods: Consecutive anal cancer patients, all treated with curative intent intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), were retrospectively studied (n = 170). Data was extracted from medical records and radiological images. Radiotherapy planning CT's and treatment plans were reviewed, and recurrences were mapped and categorized according to radiation dose. Results: The mean dose to the primary tumor was 59.0 Gy. With a median follow-up of 50 months (range 14-117 months), 5-year anal cancer specific survival was 86.1%. Only 1 of 20 local recurrences was located outside the high dose (CTVT) volume. More patients experienced a distant recurrence (n = 34; 20.0%) than a locoregional recurrence (n = 24; 14.1%). Seven patients (4.2%) had a common iliac and/or para-aortic (CI/PA) recurrence. External iliac lymph node involvement (P = 0.04), and metastases in ≥3 inguinal or pelvic lymph node regions (P = 0.02) were associated with a 15-18% risk of CI/PA recurrence. Following chemoradiotherapy, 6 patients with recurrent or primary metastatic CI/PA lymph nodes were free of recurrence at last follow-up. The overall rate of ano-inguinal lymphatic drainage (AILD) recurrence was 2 of 170 (1.2%), and among patients with inguinal metastases at initial diagnosis it was 2 of 65 (3.1%). Conclusions: We conclude that other measures than increased margins around the primary tumor are needed to improve local control. Furthermore, metastatic CI/PA lymph nodes, either at initial diagnosis or in the recurrent setting, should be considered potentially curable. Patients with certain patterns of metastatic pelvic lymph nodes might be at an increased risk of harboring tumor cells also in the CI/PA lymph nodes.</p>}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Martin P. and Nilsson, Erik D. and Johnsson, Anders and Leon, Otilia and Gunnlaugsson, Adalsteinn and Scherman, Jonas}},
  issn         = {{1748-717X}},
  keywords     = {{Anal cancer; Anal carcinoma; Ano-inguinal lymphatic drainage; Para-aortic; Radiotherapy; Recurrence}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Radiation Oncology}},
  title        = {{Patterns of recurrence in anal cancer : A detailed analysis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13014-020-01567-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s13014-020-01567-7}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}