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Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Intestinal Epithelial Regeneration in Response to Ionizing Irradiation
Published on: July 27, 2022
Effects of radiation upon gastrointestinal motility
1Department of Surgery, Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA. motterso@mcw.edu
Abstract:
Whether due to therapeutic or belligerent exposure, the gastrointestinal effects of irradiation produce symptoms dreaded by a majority of the population. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramping are hallmarks of the prodromal phase of radiation sickness, occurring hours to days following radiation exposure. The prodromal phase is distinct from acute radiation sickness in that the absorptive, secretory and anatomic changes associated with radiation damage are not easily identifiable. It is during this phase of radiation sickness that gastrointestinal motility significantly changes. In addition, there is evidence that motor activity of the gut contributes to some of the acute and chronic effects of radiation.
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