Barbara Noiret

No abstract is available for this article. CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT The authors declare no conflict of interest. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT The data that support the findings of this video are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. REFERENCES 1, , , , . Defunctioning stoma reduces symptomatic anastomotic leakage after low anterior resection of the rectum for cancer: A randomized multicenter trial. Ann Surg. 2007; 246(2): 207–214.

Only 1%–4% of all colorectal cancers are located in the anal canal. Histopathologically, two main subtypes are identified: epidermoid (squamous cell) carcinoma, accounting for 85%–90% of cases, and adenocarcinoma arising from the anal glands or cushions, representing 10%–15% [1]. Over recent decades, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has become the gold standard treatment for epidermoid anal canal carcinoma, owing to advances in chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy dosing [1].

Total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) has become a cornerstone in the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer, improving systemic control and increasing the potential for organ preservation. However, current trials and guidelines continue to treat rectal cancer as a homogeneous entity, overlooking the significant anatomic and therapeutic differences between mid- and low-rectal tumors.