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Brachytherapy 2021 Mar-Apr;20(2):368-375. Epub 2021 Jan 19.

Department of Radiation Oncology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH. Electronic address:

Purpose: To evaluate toxicity in inoperable endometrial cancer (EC) treated with definitive radiation therapy (RT).

Materials And Methods: Patients treated with definitive RT for EC were retrospectively reviewed. EQD2 values were calculated for bladder, rectum, and sigmoid. Read More

Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 2020 Oct - Dec;48-49:101707. Epub 2020 Nov 10.

Radiation Oncology Department, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Radiation therapy is an important ally when treating malignant lesions in the pelvic area, but it is not exempt of adverse events. There are some measures that can be taken to reduce the possibility of these effects, but some are non-modifiable factors related to previous treatments, location of the lesions or comorbidities. There is a wide variety of clinical presentations that can be of an acute or chronic onset that go from mild to severe forms or that can have a great impact in the quality of life. Read More

Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2020 27;11:2040622320970354. Epub 2020 Nov 27.

Department of Gastroenterology, Tallaght University Hospital/Trinity College Dublin, Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin, D24NR0A, Ireland.

Cancer survival rates have significantly improved over the last number of years due to advancements in cancer therapies. Unfortunately this has come at a cost. Therapeutic side effects are feared complications of therapy that may result in decreased quality of life and early cessation of the therapy, which can have knock-on effects on outcomes. Read More

BMC Surg 2020 Nov 3;20(1):267. Epub 2020 Nov 3.

Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Sixth Affiliated Hospital, No. 26 Yuancun Erheng Road, Guangzhou, 510655, Guangdong, China.

Background: Chronic radiation proctitis (CRP) with rectal ulcer is a common complication after pelvic malignancy radiation, and gradually deteriorating ulcers will result in severe complications such as fistula. The aim of this study was to evaluate effect of colostomy on ulcerative CRP and to identify associated influence factors with effectiveness of colostomy.

Methods: Between November 2011 to February 2019, 811 hospitalized patients were diagnosed with radiation-induced enteritis (RE) in Sun Yat-sen University Sixth Affiliated Hospital, among which 284 patients presented with rectal ulcer, and 61 ulcerative CRP patients were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Read More

Zhonghua Wei Chang Wai Ke Za Zhi 2020 Aug;23(8):817-822

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, Guangdong Institute of Gastroenterology, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510655, China.

Radiation intestinal injury is one of the most common complications after abdominal pelvic radiotherapy, which seriously affects the quality of life for patients. According to the site of occurrence, it is divided into radiation enteritis, colitis and proctitis. The pathological characteristics of radiation intestinal injury mainly include interstitial fibrosis, mucosal edema, ulcers, and inflammatory cell infiltration, and significant vascular lesions as well. Read More

Antiinflamm Antiallergy Agents Med Chem 2020 ;19(2):180-189

Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, International Campus, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Radiation-induced enteritis and proctitis are common side effects of abdominopelvic cancers among patients that undergo radiotherapy for prostate, colorectal or urinary cancers. Exposure of these tissues to high doses of radiation leads to damage to villous, inflammation, pain, ulcer and bleeding, which may cause malabsorption and gastrointestinal disorders. To date, several procedures such as pharmaceutical treatment have been proposed for protection and mitigation of gastrointestinal toxicity following radiotherapy. Read More

Cureus 2018 Mar 13;10(3):e2317. Epub 2018 Mar 13.

Preventive Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, India.

Background To appraise the spectrum of small bowel complications following pelvic irradiation and to assess the clinical outcome and factors associated with adverse clinical outcome in these patients. Methods This descriptive clinical study was done for three years in a tertiary care center in South India. Patients managed for post-irradiation small bowel complications, irrespective of the indication for radiotherapy, were studied. Read More

Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 2016 Aug 25;30(4):655-64. Epub 2016 Jun 25.

Department of Gastrenterology, Lichtenfels Cancer Centre, Germany.

Possible toxic effects following radiation and chemotherapy of gastrointestinal tumours may cause a depletion of the mucosal barrier within the radiation volumes with severe mucositis. Diarrhoea, nausea, emesis and severe malabsorption followed by infections with dehydration and electrolyte disorders have to be encountered. For prevention and treatment of oropharyngeal mucositis an oral care protocol, oral cryotherapy together with benzydamine mouthwash may be recommended. Read More

Cancer Radiother 2016 Jul 21;20(5):416-21. Epub 2016 Jun 21.

Département de radiothérapie, institut de cancérologie Lucien-Neuwirth, 108 bis, avenue Albert-Raimond, BP 60008, 42271 Saint-Priest-en-Jarez cedex, France. Electronic address:

Worldwide, more than a million people receive each year a curative radiotherapy. While local control and overall survival are steadily increasing, 5 to 15% of patients still develop above grade 2 late toxicities. Late toxicities treatments are complex. Read More

Clin Colon Rectal Surg 2016 Jun;29(2):85-91

Department of Colorectal Surgery, Digestive Diseases Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio.

Radiotherapy not only plays a pivotal role in the cancer care pathways of many patients with pelvic malignancies, but can also lead to significant injury of normal tissue in the radiation field (pelvic radiation disease) that is sometimes as challenging to treat as the neoplasms themselves. Acute symptoms are usually self-limited and respond to medical therapy. Chronic symptoms often require operative intervention that is made hazardous by hostile surgical planes and unforgiving tissues. Read More

Gulf J Oncolog 2014 Jul;1(16):32-9

Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh 59046, Saudi Arabia.

Unlabelled: We aimed to evaluate long-term treatment outcomes and toxicity profile of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in Saudi women with uterine cancers.

Methods And Materials: Medical records of patients with histopathologically proven uterine cancers were reviewed and identified those who received PORT (45-50.4 Gy in 25-28 fractions) followed by vaginal brachytherapy (15-20 Gy in 3 to 4 sessions) after total abdominal hystrectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAHBSO) in our center between August 2007 and April 2012. Read More

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2014 Nov 26;90(3):595-602. Epub 2014 Sep 26.

Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain. Electronic address:

Purpose: To investigate whether polymorphisms of genes related to inflammation are associated with pathologic response (primary endpoint) in patients with rectal cancer treated with primary chemoradiation therapy (PCRT).

Methods And Materials: Genomic DNA of 159 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer treated with PCRT was genotyped for polymorphisms rs28362491 (NFKB1), rs1213266/rs5789 (PTGS1), rs5275 (PTGS2), and rs16944/rs1143627 (IL1B) using TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assays. The association between each genotype and pathologic response (poor response vs complete or partial response) was analyzed using logistic regression models. Read More

BMC Cancer 2014 Jan 14;14:20. Epub 2014 Jan 14.

Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.

Background: Adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy of the prostate bed are established treatment options for prostate cancer. While the benefit of an additional radiotherapy of the pelvic lymph nodes is still under debate, the PLATIN 3 prospective phase II clinical trial was initiated to substantiate toxicity data on postoperative IMRT of the pelvic lymph nodes and the prostate bed.

Methods: From 2009 to 2011, 40 patients with high-risk prostate cancer after prostatectomy with pT3 R0/1 M0 or pT2 R1 M0 or a PSA recurrence and either > 20% risk of lymph node involvement and inadequate lymphadenectomy or pN + were enrolled. Read More

Indian J Surg Oncol 2012 Dec 9;3(4):302-7. Epub 2012 Aug 9.

Department of Surgery, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006 India.

The present study was undertaken to address the various concerns that has limited the use of preoperative radiotherapy in rectal cancer in our institution. All patients diagnosed as having carcinoma rectum between August 2005 and July 2007 were included in the study. Group 1 patients consisted of those presenting with T2, T3 and T4 who received preoperative radiation of 25 Gy. Read More

Am J Clin Oncol 2014 Dec;37(6):545-9

*Istituto di Oncologia, Policlinico di Monza, Monza †Medical Oncology Unit 1 ‡Radiotherapy Unit §Statistics and Biometry Unit; Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and tolerability of capecitabine administration according to a specific time schedule, combined with adjuvant radiation therapy, in intermediate-risk to high-risk rectal cancer patients treated with an upfront surgery. The primary endpoint was the rate of grade 3 to 4 diarrhea during chemoradiation (CRT).

Materials And Methods: Stage II and III rectal cancer patients received, after total mesorectal excision, 2 cycles of XELOX regimen (oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) on day 1; capecitabine 1000 mg/m(2) bid on day 1 to 14, q21), followed by capecitabine (800 mg/m(2) bid daily; 20% dose at 12:00 AM and 80% dose at 12:00 PM) administered continuously during pelvic radiation (total 50. Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2013 Jan;19(2):199-208

Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Galway, University Hospital Galway, 34562 Galway, Ireland.

With the recent advances in detection and treatment of cancer, there is an increasing emphasis on the efficacy and safety aspects of cancer therapy. Radiation therapy is a common treatment for a wide variety of cancers, either alone or in combination with other treatments. Ionising radiation injury to the gastrointestinal tract is a frequent side effect of radiation therapy and a considerable proportion of patients suffer acute or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms as a result. Read More

World J Gastroenterol 2013 Jan;19(2):185-98

Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Galway, University Hospital Galway, 34562 Galway, Ireland.

Ionising radiation therapy is a common treatment modality for different types of cancer and its use is expected to increase with advances in screening and early detection of cancer. Radiation injury to the gastrointestinal tract is important factor working against better utility of this important therapeutic modality. Cancer survivors can suffer a wide variety of acute and chronic symptoms following radiotherapy, which significantly reduces their quality of life as well as adding an extra burden to the cost of health care. Read More

Undersea Hyperb Med 2012 Nov-Dec;39(6):1121-39

Radiation Oncology, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio, USA.

Informal surveys at CME meetings have shown that approximately one-third of patients in the United States receive hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) for delayed radiation injury. More than 600,000 patients receive radiation for malignancy in our country annually, and about one-half will be long-term survivors. Serious radiation complications occur in 5-10% of survivors. Read More

Clin Transl Oncol 2013 Feb 19;15(2):154-9. Epub 2012 Jul 19.

Department of Second Radiation Therapy, Saint Savvas Anticancer Institute of Athens, Athens, Greece.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of uterine cavity's ultrasound to final selected length of intracavitary tandem. The efficacy and tolerability of external beam radiation plus HDR-Ir(192) brachytherapy in our cohort of patients were also estimated.

Materials And Methods: 48 women with locally advanced unresectable uterine cervix carcinoma were treated by HDR-Ir(192) endocavitary brachytherapy between January 2007 and January 2009. Read More

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2012 May 12;83(1):149-57. Epub 2011 Oct 12.

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medical Center, Göttingen, Germany.

Purpose: Transforming growth factor-beta1 is related to adverse events in radiochemotherapy. We investigated TGFB1 genetic variability in relation to quality of life-impairing acute organ toxicity (QAOT) of neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy under clinical trial conditions.

Methods And Materials: Two independent patient cohorts (n = 88 and n = 75) diagnosed with International Union Against Cancer stage II/III rectal cancer received neoadjuvant radiation doses of 50. Read More

Radiographics 2010 Nov;30(7):1843-56

Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Box 218, Hills Rd, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, England.

Gynecologic malignancies account for 10%-15% of all malignancies in females. A variety of oncologic options are available depending on organ of origin, histologic diagnosis, and disease grade and stage. Gynecologic malignancies are usually treated with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Read More

Clin Transl Oncol 2010 Aug;12(8):554-61

Hospital Universitario de la Princesa, Madrid, Spain.

Radiation therapy in combination with other treatments, such as surgery and chemotherapy, increases locoregional control and survival in patients with thoracic, abdominal and pelvic malignancies. Nevertheless, significant clinical toxicity with combined treatments may be seen in these patients. With the advent of tridimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT), dose-volume histograms (DVH) can be generated to assess the dose received by the organs at risk. Read More

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2011 Apr 3;79(5):1467-78. Epub 2010 Jun 3.

Department of Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Germany.

Purpose: To test for a possible correlation between high-grade acute organ toxicity during primary radiochemotherapy and treatment outcome for patients with anal carcinoma.

Methods And Materials: From 1991 to 2009, 72 patients with anal carcinoma were treated at our department (10 patients had stage I, 28 patients had stage II, 11 patients had stage IIIA, and 13 patients had stage IIIB cancer [Union Internationale Contre le Cancer criteria]). All patients received normofractionated (1. Read More

Strahlenther Onkol 2010 Jan 28;186(1):30-35. Epub 2009 Dec 28.

Department of Radiotherapy and Radiooncology, University Medicine Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.

Purpose: To test for a possible correlation between high-grade acute organ toxicity during preoperative radiochemotherapy and complete tumor regression after total mesorectal excision in multimodal treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: From 2001 to 2008, 120 patients were treated. Preoperative treatment consisted of normofractionated radiotherapy at a total dose of 50. Read More

Clin Transl Oncol 2009 Aug;11(8):539-43

Department of Surgery, University Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.

Introduction: Radiation enteritis is a complication of radiation therapy for pelvic tumours. It appears after a variable period of time and is often progressive.

Material And Methods: We analyse our experience of 77 cases (52 females and 25 males) diagnosed with radiation enteritis or proctitis between 1986 and 2006. Read More

Srp Arh Celok Lek 2009 Jan-Feb;137(1-2):38-42

Introduction: Although radical radiotherapy has proved to be a successful method in prostate cancer treatment, the conventional (box) technique can result in significant adverse events.

Objective: The objective of our study was to estimate the frequency, type and severity of acute and late toxicity in radical radiotherapy of prostate cancer.

Methods: In a clinical retrospective study, we included 283 patients with histologically confirmed prostate cancer. Read More

Hong Kong Med J 2008 Aug;14(4):327-30

Department of General Surgery, Princess Royal University Hospital, Kent, United Kingdom.

We present three cases of late radiation enteritis, all admitted through the accident and emergency unit and managed in the surgical department. All presented with acute symptoms. Two had abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting and in these two cases, plain radiology and computed tomography scans demonstrated small bowel obstruction. Read More

Zhonghua Fu Chan Ke Za Zhi 2007 Nov;42(11):733-6

Cancer Center, Third Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.

Objective: To observe the three year local control rate, overall survival rate, complications and prognostic factors of endometrial cancer treated with (252)Cf neutron intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) and external beam radiotherapy (EBRT).

Methods: Forty endometrial cancer patients staged Ib - IVa by the standard of Federation of International Gynecologic Organization (FIGO), who had not received any treatment were enrolled in this study. Treatment schedules were: (252)Cf ICBT, 10 - 13 Gy(i)/fraction per week, the total dose to point A and point F 35 - 45 Gy(i) and 38 - 50 Gy(i) respectively in 4 fractions. Read More

Undersea Hyperb Med 2007 Sep-Oct;34(5):329-34

Center for Hyperbaric Medicine, Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center Seattle, Washington, USA.

Background: Soft tissue radiation necrosis (STRN) is effectively treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO,), believed to result from stimulation ofangiogenesis in radiation-injured tissue. Thirty to forty HBO2 treatments are usually recommended for STRN. For various reasons, different hyperbaric facilities offer these treatments once or twice daily and from 5-7 days weekly. Read More