A term that refers to the staging of anal cancer according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer, 8th edition. This staging system applies to all carcinomas arising in the anal canal, including carcinomas that arise within anorectal fistulas and those arising in the perianal area (anal margin). High-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas (small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma) are staged using this system. There is no AJCC staging system for anal mucosal melanomas and anal well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors. (from AJCC 8th Ed.) [from NCI]