Anal Cancer

SAN FRANCISCO — Increasing HPV vaccination rates could help decrease the number of cancer cases “attributable to HIV,” according to data from a study presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

Throughout 2024, experts in the fields of gastroenterology and hepatology weighed in on cutting edge research, emerging trends and policies, as well as clinical innovations shaping the future of patient care.

Anal high-risk HPV and abnormal cytology were common among transgender women regardless of their age, HIV status and/or hormone use, researchers determined.

The addition of retifanlimab to standard first-line chemotherapy improved outcomes for certain patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal, according to randomized phase 3 study results presented at ESMO Congress.

Despite being considered a fairly rare disease, the incidence of anal cancer has doubled over the last 30 years, with the American Cancer Society estimating approximately 10,540 new cases and 2,190 related deaths in 2024.

Treatment for anal cancer has advanced significantly over the years, but the standard radiotherapy regimen used regardless of tumor size has led to various immediate and long-term adverse events.

People with HIV are seeing increasing rates of anal cancer. However, those screened for anal cancer precursors were diagnosed at an earlier disease stage than unscreened individuals, resulting in better survival odds.

Atezolizumab plus a modified docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracilregimen is a safe and effective first-line treatment for locally advanced squamous cell anal carcinoma, according to research presented at 2022 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Rare Disease Day is Feb. 28.

Treating high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions — primarily with office-based electrocautery — led to an almost 60% reduction in anal cancer incidence among people with HIV, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial.