High-resolution anoscopy predictive modeling of anal canal cancer response after definitive chemoradiotherapy in COVID19 era

Abstract

Purpose: To develop a predictive index model, integrating both clinical and high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) features to further personalize the decision making process in anal canal carcinoma in COVID19 era. Methods and materials: We assess HRA parameters after definitive chemoradiotherapy in patients with anal canal malignant lesions. Results: HRA features could be important to assess the effect of CRT and a risk stratification system should be introduced in clinical practice to better allocate therapeutic interventions. Conclusion: To our knowledge this is the first proposal for HRA findings in anal canal cancer after definitive CRT. We believe that a risk score can be useful to estimate the risk of treatment failure (in term of persistence disease and/or recurrence) and its clinical relevance should not to be underestimated.

Keywords

• High-resolution anoscopy
• HPV
• Anal canal cancer
• Radiotherapy
• Response
• Treatment failure