THE MANAGEMENT OF LATE RADIATION-INDUCED RECTAL INJURY AFTER TREATMENT OF CARCINOMA OF THE UTERUS

  • 1 June 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 164  (6) , 521-524
Abstract
Sixty-one of 1,418 (4.3 per cent) patients treated with radiation for carcinoma of the uterus from 1963 to 1983 had significant radiation-induced complications of the intestine develop which required a surgical opinion considering further management. Ninety-three per cent of these complications involved the rectum. Florid proctitis resolved within two years of onset in 33 per cent of the patients who were managed conservatively disease within the same time period. Surgical treatment was eventually necessary in 39 per cent of the patients who were initially treated conservatively for radiation induced proctitis. Rectal excision with coloanal sleeve anastomosis produced a satisfactory result in eight of 11 patients with severe radiation injury involving the rectum. The incidence of radiation-induced and malignant rectovaginal fistula were similar (1 per cent), but disease-induced symptoms tended to occur earlier after primary treatment (a median of eight months) compared with radiation-induced symptoms (a median of 16 months).

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