title: Does sucralfate reduce early side effects of pelvic radiation? A double-blind randomized trial.
abstract: STUDY AND METHODS: A double-blind placebo-controlled study randomized 108 patients to investigate the effect of sucralfate on gastrointestinal side effects of pelvic radiation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, pelvic radiation with the administered doses and fields and performed according to nowadays technical standards, was well tolerated. Comparison of the mean scores and the peak reactions for radiotherapy discomfort, diarrhoea and number of stools per day in the 80 evaluable patients showed no statistically significant difference between sucralfate and placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on these results, the use of sucralfate can not be recommended as standard practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital Leuven, UZ Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stellamans
authors.forename: Yolande
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lievens
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lambin
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Van den Weyngaert
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Van den Bogaert
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scalliet
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hutsebaut
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haustermans
mesh_terms: D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013392:Sucralfate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013392:Sucralfate