title: Short article: Small intestinal mucosal injury in patients taking chemotherapeutic agents for solid cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chemotherapy for cancer is a systemic treatment often associated with side effects than can be debilitating and, in some cases, life-threatening. Few data are available on intestinal enterotoxicity. Wireless video capsule endoscopy (VCE) is a noninvasive method of imaging the small intestine. This study presents the results of VCE in patients with solid tumors undergoing antineoplastic regimens with agents, notably for toxicity for the gastrointestinal mucosa (i.e. carboplatin, cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, and cisplatin).
  
  
  METHODS
  The capsule endoscopy procedure was performed 4-13 days after the end of the antineoplastic course. Each patient received a polyethylene-glycol solution (1000 mg×2 in 2 l of water) for bowel preparation and fasted for 10 h before ingestion of the capsule. Videos were evaluated by one operator, supervised by a second operator, and conclusions were drawn by an expert reader.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty (age range: 38-77 years) patients were evaluated. The cecum was reached in 70% before exhaustion of the battery. The video capsule showed small widespread intestinal ulcerations in 25% and erosions in only one patient. The villus architecture appeared normal in all. VCE detected metastases in one patient with a melanoma. Few patients had more than one lesion. All capsules were passed in the stool.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that chemotherapy in patients with solid cancers is associated with minimal visual small bowel injury. Factors other than damage of the intestinal mucosa causing loss of epithelium are likely involved in gastrointestinal toxicity and related symptoms.
authors.affiliation: aClinica Medica Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari bGastroenterology Section, San Giovanni Hospital, Torino, Italy cBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Maria P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.forename: Giovanni M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Pes
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murino
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Quarta Colosso
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pennazio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D053704:Capsule Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*