Incidence Rates for Anal Carcinoma, Adenocarcinoma Have Increased Significantly

the Cancer Therapy Advisor take:

Incidence rates (IRs) of anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and squamous carcinoma in situ (CIS) have significantly increased overtime, according to an article published online in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.

The authors of the study used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program to estimate age-adjusted anal cancer IRs by demographic and tumor characteristics from 2000 to 2011. Trends in annual percent changes and IRs from 1977 to 2011 were compared to those of rectal cancer.

Results showed females were associated with higher rates of SCC (rate ratio [RR]=1.45; 95% CI: 1.40, 1.50) and lower rates of ADC (RR=0.68; 95%CI: 0.62, 0.74) and squamous carcinoma in situ (CIS; RR=0.36; 95%CI: 0.34, 0.38) compared to males.

Furthermore, African Americans demonstrated lower rates of SCC (RR=0.82; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.87) and CIS (RR=0.90; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.98) but higher rates of ADC (RR=1.48; 95% CI 1.29-1.70) compared to non-Hispanic whites.

From 1992 to 2011, SCC IRs increased 2.9% per year, ADC IRs declined non-significantly, and CIS IRs increased 14.2% per year.

The authors noted similar trends were observed in SCC and ADC IRs across anal and rectal cancers.