[Anal canal cancer: In the era of intensity-modulated radiotherapy, outstanding issues]

Abstract

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy makes possible to optimize the irradiation and spare normal tissues. The toxicity remains important with concomitant chemotherapy often associated. The improvement of MRI and PET-CT define more precisely the target volumes, which need a higher dose, but necessitates to respect the rules of contouring. The treatment is uniform whatever the stage but should be individualized based on clinical stage and tumor response. New paradigms concern biology, staging, volumes and doses, fractionation and combined treatments.

Keywords: Anal cancer; Brachytherapy; Cancer anal; Chemoradiotherapy; Chimioradiothérapie; Clinical trials; Curiethérapie; Delineation; Délinéation; Essais cliniques; IMRT; RCMI.