For a substantial number of patients, local recurrences of anal cancer after chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy or surgery can occasionally be controlled by various treatments. Surgical removal of the recurrent tumor , the addition of various chemotherapy protocols with or without radiation and the use of radiosensitizers and endoscopic laser treatments can improve the local control.
Current investigational programs—including combinations of mitomycin + cisplatin + Adriamycin and bleomycin + lomustine (CCNU)—have been variably effective in controlling metastatic and/or recurrent disease.
