BACKGROUND:

Anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN), particularly AIN 3 is a precursor to anal cancer. Most cases of AIN are intraanal, but few treatments for intraanal AIN are currently available. Topical 85% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) is an inexpensive method used to treat perianal condyloma, a form of AIN 1, but its efficacy to treat intraanal AIN as first-line therapy is unknown.

METHODS:

Retrospective review of medical records was performed for all patients with AIN treated at the University of California San Francisco Anal Neoplasia Clinic with TCA as the first-line therapy from January 2000 to December 2004. Clearance was defined as the absence of AIN confirmed by high-resolution anoscopy and cytology after up to 4 TCA treatments.

RESULTS:

Thirty-five HIV-positive men and 19 HIV-negative men met the enrollment criteria. In multivariate analysis, greater clearance was seen in patients 41-48 years of age versus >49 years [odds ratio (OR): 8.4, confidence interval (CI): 1.1 to 94, P: 0.04]. Among HIV-positive men, those with 2 or fewer lesions showed greater clearance (OR: 14.3, CI: 1.5 to 662, P: 0.01). 32% of patients with AIN 2/3 cleared to no lesions. On a per lesion basis, 73% of AIN 1 and 71% AIN 2/3 cleared to no lesion or AIN 1 or less, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Topical 85% TCA was safe and well tolerated. It was more effective in younger patients and among HIV-positive patients, those with 2 or fewer lesions. A high proportion of AIN 2/3 lesions responded to TCA treatment.