EPIDERMOID CARCINOMA OF THE ANUS AND THE RECTUM

Abstract

Throughout the literature epidermoid, or squamous cell, carcinoma of the anus has been described as a highly malignant tumor offering a poor prognosis regardless of the treatment employed. Such a conception may at present be justifiable in view of the high number of fatalities in all the groups of cases which have been reported. However, the disappointing results responsible for this attitude may be attributed partly to failure of most plans of treatment to take into account the known pathologic aspects of this disease and in a considerable measure to the lack of standardization of treatment. In short, it would seem that in many instances poor results may have been due to inadequate treatment rather than to an inherent incurability of the lesion. Textbooks and papers dealing with the colon, the rectum and the anus have neglected this anal tumor. In such publications epidermoid carcinoma of the anus is overshadowed