A multi-institutional phase 2 trial assessed long-term outcomes of dose-painted intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) with 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and mitomycin-C (MMC) for anal canal cancer.

T2-4N0-3M0 anal cancers received 5FU (1000 mg/m/d, 96-hour infusion) and MMC (10 mg/m bolus) on days 1 and 29 of dose-painted IMRT prescribed as follows: T2N0 = 42 Gy elective nodal and 50.4 Gy anal tumor planning target volumes, 28 fractions; T3-4N0-3 = 45Gy elective nodal, 50.4 Gy ≤3 cm and 54 Gy >3cm metastatic nodal and 54 Gy anal tumor planning target volumes, 30 fractions. Local-regional failures, distant metastases, and colostomy failures were assessed using the cumulative incidence method, and disease-free survival, overall survival, and colostomy-free survival were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Late effects were scored using National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.

Of 52 patients, 54% were stage II, 25% were stage IIIA, and 21% were stage IIIB. Median follow-up was 7.9 years (min-max, 0.02-9.2 years). Local-regional failure, colostomy failures, distant metastases, overall survival, disease-free survival, and colostomy-free survival at 5 years are 16% (95% confidence interval [CI], 7%-27%), 10% (95% CI, 4%-20%), 16% (95% CI, 7%-27%), 76% (95% CI, 61%-86%), 70% (95% CI, 56%-81%), and 74% (95% CI, 59%-84%); and at 8 years they are 16% (95% CI, 7%-27%), 12% (95% CI, 5%-23%), 22% (95% CI, 12%-34%), 68% (95% CI, 53%-79%), 62% (95% CI, 47%-74%) and 66% (95% CI, 51%-77%), respectively. Eight patients experienced local-regional failure, with 5 patients having persistent disease at 12 weeks. No isolated nodal failures occurred in the microscopic elective nodal volumes. Six patients required colostomy-5 for local-regional salvage and 1 for a temporary ostomy for anorectal dysfunction. Rates of late adverse events included: 28 patients (55%) with grade 2, 8 patients (16%) with grade 3, 0 patients with grade 4, and 2 patients (4%) with grade 5 events (sinus bradycardia and myelodysplasia, possibly owing to chemotherapy). Only 11 patients reported grade 1 to 3 sexual dysfunction.

Dose-painted IMRT with 5FU/MMC for the treatment of anal canal cancer yields comparable long-term efficacy as conventional radiation cohorts. Enhanced normal tissue protection lowered rates of grade 3 and higher late effects without compromising pelvic tumor control.