Evaluation of transforming growth factor-β2 for radiation-induced diarrhea after pelvic radiotherapy

Radiotherapy (RT) plays a central role in the management of cancers located in the abdomen and pelvis. However, radiation-induced toxicity remains a major concern for patients receiving RT to the abdominopelvic region. In this context, our study aims to evaluate the use of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2-enriched formula for amelioration of radiation-induced diarrhea for patients undergoing pelvic RT.

Between September 2013 and September 2014, 86 malnourished patients undergoing RT for pelvic cancers who received oral nutritional supplementation with or without TGF-β2-enriched formula were assessed retrospectively in 3 groups. Oral diphenoxylate-atropine tablets were used at onset of diarrhea in all groups. Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests were used in the comparison of continuous and categorical variables, respectively.

Patients receiving nutritional supplemention with TGF-β2-enriched formula (groups I and II) experienced a significantly lower median number of diarrhea episodes compared to patients receiving nutritional supplementation with other products (group III), which was statistically significant (p<0.05). Also, number of patients experiencing grade 2 and grade 3 diarrhea was significantly lower in groups I and II compared to group III (p<0.05).

Nutritional supplemention with TGF-β2-enriched formula offers amelioration of radiation-induced diarrhea for patients receiving pelvic RT. Since this is the first study assessing the use of nutritional supplementation with TGF-β2-enriched formula for patients undergoing pelvic RT, future prospective studies are needed to confirm the results.