Aspects on reducing gastrointestinal adverse effects associated with radiotherapy

Patients receiving cancer therapy are afflicted with a diversity of side effects. Radiotherapy for cancer affecting the head and neck, oesophagus and pelvis is associated with a marked toxicity, specifically encountered as mucosal toxicity. Pain and diarrhoea as well as nausea and vomiting are the most common symptoms, with subsequent problems such as malnutrition and decreased quality of life. These side effects need to be reduced if we are to optimize radiotherapy and to cure patients. Because there is no straightforward way of obviating these side effects, every effort to prevent aggravation and to induce healing of mucosal changes is of prime importance. Numerous agents including antimicrobials, local and systemic analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-diarrhoeal drugs, and mucosal protectors alone or in combination with dietetic care have been used and/or are under evaluation in order to palliate the symptoms and increase the quality of life for the patients subjected to radiotherapy. In this article we summarize some aspects within the field that were discussed at the Annual Meeting of the Swedish Society for Oncology in Gavle, 1997.