Endoscopic Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis, Staging, and Follow-Up of Anal Carcinomas

Introduction

Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a technique that is well established in the staging of intestinal cancers [1] [2], but there are few published data on the use of EUS in the staging of anal carcinoma [3] [4]. This retrospective study was conducted to assess the value of EUS in the staging and follow-up of anal carcinoma.

With anal cancer, treatment depends on the stage of the tumor. Surgical procedures have gradually been replaced by other approaches when indicated, such as combined chemoradiotherapy, with excellent results. To select the appropriate therapy and assess the prognosis of the disease, it is vital to know not only the circumferential extent of the tumor, but also the depth to which it is infiltrating the adjacent tissue. This information can be provided by EUS very accurately.

References

• 1 Dragsted J, Gammelgaard J. Endoluminal ultrasonic scanning in the evaluation of rectal cancer.  Gastrointest Radiol. 1983;  8 367-8
• 2 Hildebrandt U, Feifel G. Significant improvement in clinical staging of rectal carcinoma with a new intrarectal ultrasound scanner.  J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 1983;  101 253-66
• 3 Herzog U, Boss M, Spichtin  H P. Endoanal ultrasonography in the follow-up of anal carcinoma.  Surg Endosc. 1994;  8 1186-9
• 4 Cenni J C, Hamzaoui N, Ayzac L, . et al . Prognostic value of endosonographic staging in anal carcinoma [abstract].  Endoscopy. 1996;  28 S10-11
• 5 Rifkin M D, Marks G J. Transrectal US as an adjunct in the diagnosis of rectal and extrarectal tumors.  Radiology. 1985;  157 499-502
• 6 Beynon J, Roe A M, Foy D M, . et al . Preoperative staging of local invasion in rectal cancer using endoluminal ultrasound.  J R Soc Med. 1987;  80 23-4
• 7 Glaser F, Schlag P, Herfarth C. Endorectal ultrasonography for the assessment of invasion of rectal tumours and lymph node involvement.  Br J Surg. 1990;  77 883-7
• 8 Orrom W J, Wong W D, Rothenberger D A, . et al . Endorectal ultrasound in the preoperative staging of rectal tumors.  Dis Colon Rectum. 1990;  33 654-5
• 9 [Anon]. Clinical applications of endoscopic ultrasonography in gastroenterology - state of the art, 1993: results of a consensus conference, Orlando, Florida, 19 January 1993. Endoscopy 1993 25: 358-66
• 10 Heintz A, Junginger T. Die Endosonographie zur präoperativen Stadienbeurteilung gastrointestinaler Tumoren.  Langenbecks Arch Chir. 1991;  376 3-8
• 11 Miyamoto M, Aoyama N, Iida T, . et al . Three-dimensional endoscopic ultrasonography analysis for submucosal tumor.  Gastroenterology. 1996;  110 A559
• 12 Spiro H M. Clinical gastroenterology.  New York:; McGraw-Hill, 4 th ed. 1993: 809-29
• 13 Tio T L, Tytgat G NJ. Endoscopic ultrasonography in analysing peri-intestinal lymph node abnormality: preliminary results of studies in vitro and in vivo.  Scand J Gastroenterol. 1986;  21 158-63
• 14 Badea R, Badea G, Philippi W, . et al . Wert und Grenzen der endorektalen Sonographie der präoperativen Stadienbeurteilung des Rektumkarzinoms.  Ultraschall. 1988;  9 265-9
• 15 Bachmann-Nielsen M, Qvitzau S, Pedersen J F. Detection of pericolonic lymph nodes in patients with colorectal cancer: an in vitro and in vivo study of the efficacy of endosonography.  Am J Radiol. 1993;  161 57-60
• 16 Lightdale C J. Endoscopic ultrasonography in the diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of esophageal and gastric cancer.  Endoscopy. 1992;  24 297-303
• 17 Tio T L, Kallimanis G E. Endoscopic ultrasonography of perigastrointestinal lymph nodes.  Endoscopy. 1994;  26 776-9
• 18 Giovanni M, Seitz J F, Monges G, . et al . Fine-needle aspiration cytology guided by endoscopic ultrasonography: results in 141 patients.  Endoscopy. 1995;  27 171-7
• 19 Faigel D O, Ginsberg G, Kadish S, Kochman M. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of extraluminal masses.  Gastroenterology. 1996;  110 A511
• 20 Roseau G, Palazzo L, Colardelle P, . et al . Endoscopic ultrasonography in the staging and follow-up of epidermoid carcinoma of the anal canal.  Gastrointest Endosc. 1994;  40 447-50