Topic Highlight
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2014; 20(36): 13052-13059
Published online Sep 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i36.13052
Anal squamous cell carcinoma: An evolution in disease and management
Marc C Osborne, Justin Maykel, Eric K Johnson, Scott R Steele
Marc C Osborne, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55415, United States
Justin Maykel, University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA 01609, United States
Eric K Johnson, Scott R Steele, Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 98431, United States
Author contributions: Osborne MC, Maykel J, Johnson EK, and Steele SR all contributed equally to this work; Osborne MC and Steele SR designed the review; Osborne MC, Maykel J, Johnson EK, and Steele SR contributed to the construction and critical revision of the paper.
Correspondence to: Scott R Steele, MD, FACS, FASCRS, Chief, 9040a Fitzsimmons Dr Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 98431, United States. harkersteele@mac.com
Telephone: +1-253-9682200 Fax: +1-253-9685900
Received: March 3, 2014
Revised: April 14, 2014
Accepted: May 26, 2014
Published online: September 28, 2014
Processing time: 212 Days and 12.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Despite advances in the diagnosis and management, we continue to see a steady rise in the incidence of anal squamous cell cancer. The management of anal cancer has evolved from mandatory surgery to sphincter preserving therapy and is now entering an era of screening and prevention. Chemoradiotherapy remains the primary therapy for anal cancer. Anal Pap smear and high-resolution anoscopy are emerging technologies for identification of precancerous lesions. A high index of suspicion and knowledge of the relevant anatomy and pathophysiology are essential to identify at risk group, avoid missed diagnosis, and provide proper counseling.