Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection Does Not Improve Overall Survival in Anal Cancer Nodal Disease

Risk factors and outcome following salvage surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the anus

BACKGROUND

Chemoradiotherapy is the primary treatment for anal cancer. 15-33% of patients will have persistent or recurrent disease after treatment requiring salvage surgery. Relapse after surgery, postoperative complications, and mortality as well as possible risk factors are not fully understood due to the rareness of the disease. The aim of the study was to report outcomes after salvage surgery as well as evaluate risk factors for postoperative complications, cancer relapse and survival.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively collected from electronical patients charts and pathology reports from all patients undergoing salvage surgery from July 1st, 2011 to July 1st, 2021 at the Department of Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

RESULTS

A total of 98 patients were included in the study. The 5-year overall survival was 61.8%. Relapse after surgery occurred in 36.7% of patients and was significantly associated with R1-resection (HR = 4.4) and preoperative nodal metastases (HR = 4.5). Negative prognostic factors for survival were found to be R1-resection (HR = 3.2), preoperative nodal metastases (HR = 2.9), and male gender (HR = 0.5). There was no association found between complications and survival (HR 1.2). None of the possible risk factors were associated with major postoperative complications.

CONCLUSIONS

An acceptable overall survival after surgery was found. Survival and relapse-free survival was negatively associated with R1 resections and positive preoperative lymph nodes. Complications did not influence long-term survival.

Characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of anal versus rectal squamous cell carcinoma, a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Although squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the anal canal, it rarely affects the rectum. The present study aimed to assess the differences in characteristics, treatments, clinical and pathologic outcomes, and survival between anal and rectal squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

The United States National Cancer Databases (2004-2020) of anal canal and rectal cancer were used for this retrospective cohort analysis. Patients with anal or rectal squamous cell carcinoma were included in the analysis. The study's primary outcome was overall survival, and secondary outcomes were 30-day and 90-day mortality, 30-day readmission, and positive resection margins.

RESULTS

The present study included 76,830 patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma and 7,908 with rectal squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma presented more often with early clinical stage I and stage II disease (50.4% vs 45.9%, P < .001) and less often with stage IV disease (6.5% vs 15.1%, P < .001). Anal squamous cell carcinomas were more often treated with upfront surgery than were rectal squamous cell carcinomas (37.7% vs 19.7%, P < .001), whereas rectal squamous cell carcinomas were more often treated with chemoradiation therapy alone (68.3% vs 59.8%, P < .001). Anal squamous cell carcinomas were treated more often with local excision (33.4% vs 15.8%, P < .001) than rectal squamous cell carcinoma. Anal squamous cell carcinoma was associated with a higher incidence of positive resection margins (41.9% vs 32.8%, P < .001). The 30-day and 90-day mortality rates were higher after surgery for rectal squamous cell carcinoma than for anal squamous cell carcinoma (1.5% vs 0.4% and 4.1% vs 1.6%, respectively, P < .001). Anal squamous cell carcinoma had longer median overall survival (145.3 vs 90.3 months, P < .001) than rectal squamous cell carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

Patients with anal squamous cell carcinoma presented more often with early-stage disease and less often with distant metastasis and were more often treated with upfront surgery, mainly local excision. Anal squamous cell carcinoma was associated with lower 30-day and 90-day mortality and longer overall survival than rectal squamous cell carcinoma.

[Indications for selective lymphadenectomy and systematic axillary, inguinal and iliac lymph node dissection]

Lymphadenectomy is a surgical procedure in which lymph nodes are surgically resected. It is usually carried out for oncological surgical treatment of various malignant diseases. These include carcinomas of the breast, penis, vulva and anus as well as malignant melanomas and the broad field of sarcomas. A distinction is made between the removal of regional lymph nodes, the sentinel lymph node and the radical removal of lymph nodes in a body region. Cervical, axillary, inguinal and iliac lymph nodes are clinically relevant. The strategy of sentinel lymph node dissection, in which the first lymph node in the drainage system is resected and histopathologically examined for malignant tissue, has brought decisive advantages for the patients, as radical lymphadenectomy with its severe morbidities is utilized in fewer cases. This can improve the patient's quality of life by sparing the lymphatic drainage pathways and reducing lymphedema, inflammation and wound healing disorders. In addition, a lymphadenectomy may be indicated as part of palliative interventions. Another form of lymph node removal is the vascularized lymph node transplantation, which is used for reconstructive purposes in lymphedema. Therefore lymph node grafts are transferred to the site where lymph nodes were previously removed. This review presents the current status of lymphadenectomy in accordance with the German guidelines, anatomical knowledge and specific indications for axillary, inguinal and iliac lymphadenectomy. In addition, an overview of vascularized lymph node transfer is given.