Long-term outcome of severe radiation enteritis treated by total parenteral nutrition

The outcome of 31 patients with severe radiation enteritis treated by total parenteral nutrition (TPN) was analyzed. Before initiation of parenteral nutrition, 18 of the patients had not had abdominal surgery, while 13 had either a resection or an intestinal bypass for radiation enteritis. Median follow-up was 2 1/2 years (range: 1 month to 12 years) from the time of initiation of parenteral nutrition. Surgery was required in 15 cases because parenteral alimentation could not be continued. Only eight of these 15 were able to resume a normal oral intake. Total parenteral nutrition allowed oral feeding to be resumed in 11 (36%) after a median follow-up of 40 months (range: 6-142 months). In general, total parenteral nutrition was well tolerated and was associated with low morbidity. Eighteen patients died, 13 of complications due to radiation therapy, four of cancer recurrence, and one of an unrelated cause. Survival probability was 58% at one year and 36% at five years. When possible, prognostic factors present either before or at initiation of total parenteral nutrition were analyzed. Age, predisposing vascular factors (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or vascular disease), and enteric fistula and/or perforation were found to have prognostic value. The probability of clinical radiation enteritis recurrence was 34% at one year and 47% at two years. A clinical recurrence of symptoms was more frequent but not significantly so after parenteral nutrition as compared to surgical therapy of radiation enteritis. Although TPN corrected denutrition and allowed deferred surgery in some patients, severe radiation enteritis remains a poorly predictable progressive disease with numerous relapses.