title: Late gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiation: a nurse-led service.
abstract: There are currently at least 2 million people in the UK living with and following a cancer diagnosis. Typically four out of every ten people with cancer will receive radiotherapy, but a large proportion of people who have pelvic radiotherapy may go on to develop gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. This includes rectal bleeding and faecal incontinence, which can have a huge impact on quality of life. These problems often go under-reported by patients and are also under-recognised or under-treated by health professionals. Cancer survivorship is a growing topic that is likely to have a major impact on the NHS, with increasing numbers of patients presenting. A late GI effects of pelvic radiotherapy clinic was set up to address these growing needs of patients with GI symptoms following radiotherapy. This article also shares insights from a doctoral study that is underway looking at people's experiences of living with symptoms following their treatment, in order to improve awareness of the major impact that this can have.
authors.affiliation: Macmillan Senior Nurse for Late GI Effects of Treatment, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Nurse Specialist and Nurse Endoscopist, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ludlow
authors.affiliation: Consultant Gastroenterologist, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Consultant Gastroenterologist, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D001765:Blind Loop Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing; D006801:Humans; D008286:Malabsorption Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000451:nursing; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010386:Pelvic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010388:Pelvis; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012002:Rectal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D017741:Survivors
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates
keywords: Gastrointestinal symptoms; Late effects of treatment; Nurse-led clinics; Radiotherapy; Survivorship