Recurrent Anal Cancer Current Treatment Options

laonline
laonline Member Posts: 2

Good Morning All,

I am very impressed with all the members on this site and lots of useful information!!

I was diagnosed with Stage II Anal Cancer and had the standard 6 weeks of Chemoradiation and was pronounced NED.  Now, about 2 1/2 years later, it appears the cancer has returned.  I am meeting with specialist for anoscopy today.

I know the standard salvage is surgery and APR; however, I would like to know if anyone has beaten recurrent anal cancer and if they know of "non-standard" treatments.

Thanks for any help,

Lee

 

 

 

Comments

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    Lee

    I am very sorry to hear of your recurrence. 

    I do know of some peoplwe who have had successful treatment for recurrence, but unfortunately, they all have undergone APR.  That seems to be the one and only option for treating recurrence with good results.  I am not familiar with any other treatments currently being used.

    I hope your appt. with the specialist went well today and that you were able to ask this question of him/her.  I wish you all the very best.

    Martha

  • laonline
    laonline Member Posts: 2
    mp327 said:

    Lee

    I am very sorry to hear of your recurrence. 

    I do know of some peoplwe who have had successful treatment for recurrence, but unfortunately, they all have undergone APR.  That seems to be the one and only option for treating recurrence with good results.  I am not familiar with any other treatments currently being used.

    I hope your appt. with the specialist went well today and that you were able to ask this question of him/her.  I wish you all the very best.

    Martha

    Thank you!!!

    Dear Martha,

    Thank you very much for taking time to respond to my question! Much appreciated!!!

    The specialist agreed that APR is still the best option for recurrent cancer.  He was very gentle and said we should schedule a biopsy and it may just be new AIN and that we can monitor it.....

    In the meantime, I will research for any other options besides surgery.

    Thanks again,

    Lee

     

     

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    laonline said:

    Thank you!!!

    Dear Martha,

    Thank you very much for taking time to respond to my question! Much appreciated!!!

    The specialist agreed that APR is still the best option for recurrent cancer.  He was very gentle and said we should schedule a biopsy and it may just be new AIN and that we can monitor it.....

    In the meantime, I will research for any other options besides surgery.

    Thanks again,

    Lee

     

     

    Lee

    I don't know where you are located, but the University of California San Francisco has a dysplasia clinic and sees patients who have been treated for anal cancer and then are diagnosed with post-treatment AIN.  One of the specialists there is Dr. Berry.  I know of two people who are followed there by Dr. Berry and think he's wonderful.  I know he has also spoken with people and their doctors over the phone for consultation, so that might be a suggestion you could make to your physician to find out what procedures Dr. Berry uses for monitoring AIN.  I have listed below some websites FYI. 

    http://www.ucsfhealth.org/michael.berry

    http://id.medicine.ucsf.edu/analcancerinfo/

    http://www.obgyn.medschool.ucsf.edu/gynecology/ccss/gynecology/dysplasia.aspx

    Martha

  • Ouch_Ouch_Ouch
    Ouch_Ouch_Ouch Member Posts: 508 Member
    mp327 said:

    Lee

    I don't know where you are located, but the University of California San Francisco has a dysplasia clinic and sees patients who have been treated for anal cancer and then are diagnosed with post-treatment AIN.  One of the specialists there is Dr. Berry.  I know of two people who are followed there by Dr. Berry and think he's wonderful.  I know he has also spoken with people and their doctors over the phone for consultation, so that might be a suggestion you could make to your physician to find out what procedures Dr. Berry uses for monitoring AIN.  I have listed below some websites FYI. 

    http://www.ucsfhealth.org/michael.berry

    http://id.medicine.ucsf.edu/analcancerinfo/

    http://www.obgyn.medschool.ucsf.edu/gynecology/ccss/gynecology/dysplasia.aspx

    Martha

    UCSF looks good.

    I looked through the Dysplasia Clinic website when mp327 gave me their e-ddress a little while back. Their involvement in research is impressive. When I looked at the "Anal Carcinoma" standard protocol report from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) site (an e-ddress that mp327 also gave me), several of the references for the protocol are papers published by Drs Berry and Palefsy of UCSF's Dysplasia Clinic.