Survival of patients with radiation enteritis of the small and the large intestine
Libotte, F.; Autier, P.; Delmelle, M.; Gozy, M.; Pector, J.C.; Van Houtte, P.; Gerard, A.
Acta Chirurgica Belgica 95(4 Suppl): 190-194
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-5458 PMID: 8779298 Document Number: 451881
We reviewed the clinical and survival data of 108 consecutive patients who presented with radiation enteritis between 1965 and 1981. One hundred and two (94%) had been irradiated for carcinoma of the cervix uteri. The median follow-up was of 11 years. The median time of occurrence of severe radiation-induced lesions (obstruction, perforation) after radiotherapy was of 18 months, against 10.5 months for mild symptoms (e.g., tenesmus) and 9 months for rectal bleeding (p < 0.001). Cox survival analysis taking into account the stage of the cancer and the age at diagnosis showed that rectal bleeding is a factor with a prognosis significantly poorer than the mild symptoms (p = 0.05), equivalent to that of the severe complications. We conclude that in the evaluation of patients who underwent radiotherapy for abdominal or pelvic tumours, rectal bleeding should be considered as a sign of serious radiation-induced complication.