Small cell carcinoma of the anus in a human HIV carrier: report of a case.

We report herein a rare case of metastatic anal small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) carrier. This is only the third case of an HIV infection associated with the rare anorectal small cell carcinoma to be reported in the world literature. Although radiation and abdominoperineal resection cannot provide a cure, systemic chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin and etoposide (VP-16) achieved complete resolution of all the indicator lesions. The values of the T-helper: T-suppressor )OKT4:OKT8) ratio and beta 2-microglobulin showed that the state of immunodeficiency caused by the HIV did not become worse during either major surgery or systemic chemotherapy.