Acute diarrhea during pelvic irradiation: is small-bowel volume effect different in gynecologic patients with prior abdomen operation or not?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate volume effect of small bowel for diarrhea during pelvic irradiation in gynecologic patients with or without prior abdomen operation.


METHODS
From January 1996 through December 2003, 759 patients undergoing 4-field pelvic irradiation for cervical or uterine cancer were analyzed. Whole pelvic (WP), modified whole pelvic (MWP), or lower pelvic (LP) irradiation were delivered initially. According to contrast medium within small bowel in simulation films, we categorized the small-bowel volume of full dose related to WP fields as small-volume and large-volume groups. We recorded the severity of diarrhea until 39.6 Gy/22 fractions of pelvic irradiation. The actuarial rates of overall and moderate to severe diarrhea were compared among different groups.


RESULTS
Significantly more large-volume distribution (85%) was noted in patients >60 years without prior operation (P < 0.001). Large-volume distribution was 53%, 65%, and 82% in post-operative patients with no diarrhea, mild diarrhea, and moderate to severe diarrhea (P = 0.002), respectively. The corresponding rate was 79%, 77%, and 80% in patients without prior abdomen operation (P = 0.869). In multivariate analysis, prior operation with LP fields (P = 0.005) and prior operation with small volume (P = 0.031) were significantly protective factors for overall diarrhea. The latter was also a protective factor for moderate to severe diarrhea (P = 0.026). Prior operation could diminish overall diarrhea in patients without simultaneous large-field (WP or MWP) and large-volume. Large volume was a significant factor of overall (P = 0.014) and moderate to severe (P = 0.004) diarrhea in large-field patients with operation. The volume effect did not exist in those patients without operation.


CONCLUSIONS
Age and operation can change small-bowel distribution. Prior operation may attenuate diarrhea if irradiated volume of small bowel is small. There is a volume effect in post-operative rather than non-operative patients receiving large-field irradiation. More practical dose-volume evaluation of small bowel may be applied for volume effect in gynecologic patients without prior operation.
Huang
Eng-Yen
EY
Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Medical Center, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Niao-Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan.
Hsu
Hsuan-Chih
HC
Yang
Kuender D
KD
Lin
Hao
H
Wang
Feng-Sheng
FS
Sun
Li-Min
LM
Tsai
Ching-Chou
CC
Changchien
Chan-Chao
CC
Wang
Chong-Jong
CJ
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000208:Acute Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*