ANAL NEOPLASIA - PATHOGENESIS, DIAGNOSIS, AND MANAGEMENT

Numerous observations have suggested that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-induced immunodeficiency may be associated with the development of neoplasia of the cervical and anal mucosa. Anal intraepithelial ne oplasia (AIN) and human papillomavirus infections are more common and severe in HIV-infected men than in non-HIV-infected persons with simil ar demographic characteristics. The natural history and appropriate ma nagement of AIN has not been fully elucidated but this condition shoul d probably be viewed as a precursor of invasive cancer and treated wit h strategies similar to those used for analogous disease of the uterin e cervix. Anecdotal observations suggest that anal cancer in HIV-infec ted persons may be more difficult to treat successfully than anal canc er in the non-HIV-infected but standard treatment strategies have been employed successfully.