Overview of radiation- and chemoradiation-induced diarrhea

To describe the pathophysiology, incidence, and impact of radiation-induced diarrhea (RID), and to highlight the radiation oncology nurse's role.

Primary and tertiary literature, and clinical experience.

RID is a frequent complication of pelvic radiation, both when given alone and with chemotherapy. RID can significantly affect patient quality of life. Since diarrhea may be a difficult topic for patients to discuss, special care needs to be taken to avoid underdiagnosis of this problem.

The oncology nurse is uniquely situated to monitor patients for the development of RID, assess its severity and provide guidance to the health care team on the patient's status.