Anal squamous carcinoma: a new AIDS-defining cancer? Case report and literature review

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Marcelo Corti, María F. Villafañe, Esteban Marona, Daniel Lewi
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2012
• Subjects: Squamous anal cell carcinoma; Human papillomavirus; HIV; AIDS; Antiretroviral therapy; HAART; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652012000600010; https://doaj.org/article/96460ee15ba440899a07bf42c9ff36a7

Squamous anal cell carcinoma is a rare malignancy that represents the 1.5% to 2% of all the lower digestive tract cancers. However, an increased incidence of invasive anal carcinoma is observed in HIV-seropositive population since the widespread of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Human papillomavirus is strongly associated with the pathogenesis of anal cancer. Anal intercourse and a high number of sexual partners appear to be risk factors to develop anal cancer in both sexes. Anal pain, bleeding and a palpable lesion in the anal canal are the most common clinical features. Endo-anal ultrasound is the best diagnosis method to evaluate the tumor size, the tumor extension and the infiltration of the sphincter muscle complex. Chemoradiotherapy plus antiretroviral therapy are the recommended treatments for all stages of localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal in HIV-seropositive patients because of its high rate of cure. Here we present an HIV patient who developed a carcinoma of the anal canal after a long time of HIV infection under highly active antiretroviral therapy with a good virological and immunological response.