Abstract
PurposeTo analyze the efficacy of a protocol-based brachytherapy (BT) boost after external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with simultaneous chemotherapy in patients with anal carcinoma. Methods and MaterialsAbout 190 patients have been analyzed. Around 143 patients were identified with a good clinical response at the end of EBRT. Another 47 patients received an additional BT boost to the residual tumor at 6 weeks after end of chemoradiation. ResultsThe 5-year incidence of local recurrence was 24% in patients with BT boost and 19% in patients without BT boost (p = 0.238). The 5-year disease-free survival rate, overall survival rate, and colostomy-free survival rate were 64% and 75% and 76.1% in the BT group and 69% (p = 0.212), 72% (p = 0.924), and 82.7% (p = 0.488) in the non-BT group. We found no differences in late toxicity between the groups. ConclusionsFor patients with anal cancer with not a good response to 50–59 Gy EBRT with simultaneous chemotherapy, the further dose escalation using the BT boost up to a mean of 67.5 Gy seems to improve the clinical outcome to the same level as observed in patients with a good response to ERBT, without an increase in late side effects.
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