Anal cancer is diagnosed in about 9,000 people per year in the United States. Most cases are squamous cell cancers linked to human papillomavirus (HPV). Standard treatment combines chemotherapy and radiation, which cures most early-stage cases. Research focuses on improving outcomes for advanced disease and reducing treatment side effects.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing immunotherapy drugs, particularly PD-1 inhibitors like nivolumab and pembrolizumab, for advanced or recurrent anal cancer. Studies explore combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy or radiation, refining radiation techniques to reduce side effects, and testing targeted therapies. Researchers are also studying ways to identify which tumors will respond best to immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy combinations
Studies are testing whether adding PD-1 inhibitors to standard chemotherapy improves outcomes for locally advanced anal cancer. Early results suggest some tumors shrink more with this combination.
Reduced-intensity treatment
Trials are testing whether people with smaller tumors or those responding well to initial treatment can receive less radiation. The goal is to maintain cure rates while reducing long-term bowel and sexual side effects.
Advanced disease options
For cancer that spreads or returns after treatment, studies are testing immunotherapy drugs alone or with chemotherapy. Response rates vary based on tumor characteristics like PD-L1 expression.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on cancer stage, whether it has spread, prior treatments received, and performance status.
What types of trials are currently open
- Treatment trials — Testing new combinations of chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy drugs for newly diagnosed anal cancer.
- Immunotherapy trials — Testing PD-1 inhibitors and other immune checkpoint drugs, often for advanced or recurrent disease.
- De-escalation trials — Testing whether reducing radiation dose or chemotherapy intensity can maintain cure rates while causing fewer side effects.
- Biomarker studies — Looking at tumor characteristics like HPV status and PD-L1 expression to predict which treatments work best.
- Supportive care trials — Testing ways to manage side effects during treatment, including skin reactions, bowel symptoms, and sexual function.
Recently added Anal Cancer trials
A Study of Retifanlimab After Chemoradiation in People With Anal Cancer
Participants will receive retifanlimab during 28-day treatment Cycles and will continue to receive retifanlimab for up to 6 Cycles (up to 12 Cycles with study doctor approval) unless the participant's cancer comes back, have serious side effects and cannot continue study treatment, or the study doctor thinks it is in the participant's best interest to stop.
Track outcomes after electrical energy treatment for pelvic tumors
The goal of this single-center observational cohort study, based on a registry combining retrospectively and prospectively collected data, is to investigate the short- and long-term effects of irreversible electroporation (IRE) in men and women over the age of 18 who receive IRE for recurrence of pelvic tumors not suitable for other local treatment options such as surgery, thermal ablation, and radiotherapy. The main question it aims to answer is whether IRE is safe in this population, and secondarily, whether it is effective in controlling local tumor recurrence.
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