BACKGROUND: Carcinoma of the anal canal is a rare neoplasia, the treatment of wich is based on chemoradiation Surgery is recommended alter treatment failure and recurrence. METHOD: A retrospective review from October 1986 to September 2000 of all patients who underwent salvage surgery alter chemoradiotherapy failure. Patients were reviewed as to time until recurrence and overall survival. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients with epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal were reviewed. Twenty-one patients (22,5%) with residual or recurrent disease underwent salvage surgery. 19 patients (91%) underwent abdomino-perineal resection, 1 patient underwent pelvic exenteration and local resection was performed in 1 patient. There was no operative mortality. The overall survival was 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage surgical resection for anal canal carcinoma can be expected te yieid a number of survivors from residual/recurrent disease.
Anal canal carcinoma; Salvage surgery
