Results of treatment in transitional cloacogenic carcinoma

From April 1958 through July 1976, 23 patients with transitional cloacogenic carcinoma of the anus were treated with curative intent by abdominoperineal resection alone (15 patients), combination abdomino-perineal resection and irradiation (6 patients), and irradiation alone (2 patients). None of these patients had been previously treated or had distant metastases at the time of presentation. Initial presentation survival, and complications of treatment are analyzed. Surgery alone failed to control local and pelvic disease in 1 of 6 patients with negative nodes (with a tumor greater than 2 cm in diameter) and in 6 of 9 patients with positive nodes. No local and pelvic failures occurred in patients treated with irradiation alone or preoperative or postoperative irradiation.