Acute and late radiotherapy toxicity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence of gastrointestinal complications in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) receiving radiotherapy (RT) and to identify possibly avoidable factors associated with these complications.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients were identified and their records reviewed; all had a history of IBD before receiving RT to fields encompassing some portion of the gastrointestinal tract (Crohn's disease) or to the abdomen or pelvis (ulcerative colitis or IBD not otherwise specified).


RESULTS
Five of 24 patients (21%) experienced Grade > or =3 acute gastrointestinal toxicity; all 5 received concurrent chemotherapy. Two of 24 patients (8%) experienced Grade > or =3 late gastrointestinal toxicity. There were no significant correlations between complications and IBD type, prior IBD-related surgery, use of medications for IBD, or status of IBD.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with IBD may have an increased risk for severe acute RT-related gastrointestinal complications that is more modest than generally perceived, because all patients who had Grade > or =3 acute complications in this study had received concurrent chemotherapy (p = 0.04). Further study is needed to assess this risk, as well as the impact of RT on these patients' future gastrointestinal morbidity.
Song
D Y
DY
Division of Radiation Oncology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Lawrie
W T
WT
Abrams
R A
RA
Kafonek
D R
DR
Bayless
T M
TM
Welsh
J S
JS
DeWeese
T L
TL
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000150:complications*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation / Q000009:adverse effects
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents