Optimal Management of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anal Canal — Video Lecture

Faculty

Faculty

Marwan Fakih

MD

City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California

Professor, Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research, Judy and Bernard Briskin Distinguished Director in Clinical Research, Associate Director for Clinical Sciences, Medical Director, Briskin Center for Clinical Research, Division Head, GI Medical Oncology

TARGET AUDIENCE
This activity is intended for medical oncologists, hematology-oncology fellows and other healthcare providers involved in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Appreciate the incidence, etiology and clinical and biological characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC).
• Consider published research guiding the selection and sequencing of therapy for SCAC to facilitate optimal treatment and long-term outcomes for patients.
• Evaluate the scientific rationale for evaluating immune checkpoint inhibitors for advanced SCAC, and appreciate available research findings with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody monotherapy for patients with relapsed/refractory disease.
• Assess recently presented research with chemotherapy in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy as first-line treatment for advanced SCAC, and identify patients potentially eligible for this novel treatment approach.
• Review novel agents and strategies under clinical development for the treatment of SCAC, and appropriately refer eligible patients for trial participation.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
Research To Practice is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT
Video Lecture: Research To Practice designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

AMERICAN BOARD OF INTERNAL MEDICINE (ABIM) — MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION (MOC)
Successful completion of these CME activities, which includes participation in the evaluation components and post-tests, enables the participant to earn up to 0.75 (lecture) Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for each activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.

Please note, these programs have been specifically designed for the following ABIM specialty: medical oncology.

AMERICAN BOARD OF SURGERY (ABS) — CONTINUOUS CERTIFICATION (CC)
Successful completion of these CME activities, which includes participation in the evaluation components and post-tests, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and Self-Assessment requirement(s) of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.

Please note, these programs have been specifically designed for the following ABS practice area: complex general surgical oncology.

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HOW TO USE THIS CME ACTIVITY
To receive credit for an activity in this series, the participant should review the CME information, listen to or view the MP3s, review the downloadable slide set, complete the post-test with a score of 80% or better and fill out the evaluation. Program location URLs are noted below:

Video Lecture: ResearchToPractice.com/OncologyTodaySCCAnal25/Presentation and evaluation ResearchToPractice.com/OncologyTodaySCCAnal25/Presentation/CME.

CONTENT VALIDATION AND DISCLOSURES
Research To Practice (RTP) is committed to providing its participants with high-quality, unbiased and state-of-the-art education and adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of an accredited continuing education activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers and others, are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the commencement of this activity. In addition, all activity content is reviewed by RTP scientific staff and an external, independent physician reviewer for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies referenced and patient care recommendations.

FACULTY — The following faculty reported relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities:

Marwan Fakih, MD
Professor, Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research
Judy and Bernard Briskin Distinguished Director in Clinical Research
Associate Director for Clinical Sciences
Medical Director, Briskin Center for Clinical Research
Division Head, GI Medical Oncology
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
Duarte, California

Advisory Committees: Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Janssen Research and Development, Merus, Mirati Therapeutics Inc, Tempus, Xilio Therapeutics; Consulting Agreements: AbbVie Inc, Adagene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Delcath Systems Inc, Iterion Therapeutics, Merck, Microbial Machines, Mirati Therapeutics Inc, Revolution Medicines, Summit Therapeutics, Taiho Oncology Inc, Totus Medicines; Contracted Research: Agenus Inc.

EDITOR — Dr Love is president and CEO of Research To Practice. Research To Practice receives funds in the form of educational grants to develop CME activities from the following companies: Aadi Bioscience, AbbVie Inc, ADC Therapeutics, Agendia Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Amgen Inc, Array BioPharma Inc, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc, Arvinas, Astellas, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Aveo Pharmaceuticals, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, BeOne, Biotheranostics Inc, A Hologic Company, Black Diamond Therapeutics Inc, Blueprint Medicines, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celcuity, Clovis Oncology, Coherus BioSciences, Corcept Therapeutics Inc, CTI BioPharma, a Sobi Company, Daiichi Sankyo Inc, Eisai Inc, Elevation Oncology Inc, Exact Sciences Corporation, Exelixis Inc, Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, Genmab US Inc, Geron Corporation, Gilead Sciences Inc, GSK, Helsinn Therapeutics (US) Inc, ImmunoGen Inc, Incyte Corporation, Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals Inc, Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc, Johnson & Johnson, Karyopharm Therapeutics, Kite, A Gilead Company, Kura Oncology, Legend Biotech, Lilly, MEI Pharma Inc, Merck, Mersana Therapeutics Inc, Mirati Therapeutics Inc, Mural Oncology Inc, Natera Inc, Novartis, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation on behalf of Advanced Accelerator Applications, Novocure Inc, Nuvalent, Nuvation Bio Inc, Pfizer Inc, Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie Company, Puma Biotechnology Inc, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc, R-Pharm US, Sanofi, Seagen Inc, Servier Pharmaceuticals LLC, SpringWorks Therapeutics Inc, Stemline Therapeutics Inc, Sumitomo Pharma America, Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Taiho Oncology Inc, Takeda Pharmaceuticals USA Inc, TerSera Therapeutics LLC, and Tesaro, A GSK Company.

RESEARCH TO PRACTICE CME PLANNING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, STAFF AND REVIEWERS — Planners, scientific staff and independent reviewers for Research To Practice have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

These educational activities contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the Food and Drug Administration. Research To Practice does not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications and warnings. The opinions expressed are those of the presenters and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantor.

These activities are supported by an educational grant from Incyte Corporation.

Release date: February 2026
Expiration date: February 2026

After completing the post-test, learners may download and review the answers here in order to identify further areas of study.

Fakih M et al. POD1UM-303/INTERAACT2 subgroup analyses and impact of delayed retifanlimab treatment on outcomes in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCAC). ASCO 2025; Abstract 3525.

Garg A et al. Future patterns in burden and incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the anus in the United States, 2001-2035. J Natl Cancer Inst 2024;116(9):1508-12. Abstract

Kim S et al. Atezolizumab plus modified docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil as first-line treatment for advanced anal cancer (SCARCE C17-02 PRODIGE 60): A randomised, non-comparative, phase 2 study. Lancet Oncol 2024;25(4):518-28. Abstract

Marabelle A et al. Pembrolizumab for previously treated advanced anal squamous cell carcinoma: Results from the non-randomised, multicohort, multicentre, phase 2 KEYNOTE-158 study. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022;7(5):446-54. Abstract

Morris V et al. NCI9673 (Part B): A multi-institutional ETCTN randomized phase II study of nivolumab with or without ipilimumab in refractory, metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal. ESMO GI 2023;Abstract O-12.

Morris VK et al. Nivolumab for previously treated unresectable metastatic anal cancer (NCI9673): A multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 study. Lancet Oncol 2017;18(4):446-53. Abstract

Rao S et al. Retifanlimab with carboplatin and paclitaxel for locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (POD1UM-303/InterAACT-2): A global, phase 3 randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2025;405(10495):2144-52. Abstract

Rao S et al. Survival outcomes in POD1UM-303/InterAACT-2: A phase III study of retifanlimab (R) + carboplatin-paclitaxel (CP) in first-line (1L) advanced squamous anal cancer (SCAC). ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025;Abstract 123MO.

Rao S et al. A phase II study of retifanlimab (INCMGA00012) in patients with squamous carcinoma of the anal canal who have progressed following platinum-based chemotherapy (POD1UM-202). ESMO Open 2022;7(4). Abstract

Rao S et al. International rare cancers initiative multicenter randomized phase II trial of cisplatin and fluorouracil versus carboplatin and paclitaxel in advanced anal cancer: InterAAct. J Clin Oncol 2020;38(22):2510-8. Abstract