Abstract:
This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2002, and previously updated in 2007. Late radiation rectal problems (proctopathy) include bleeding, pain, faecal urgency, and incontinence and may develop after pelvic radiotherapy treatment for cancer. To assess the effectiveness and safety of non-surgical interventions for managing late radiation proctopathy. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Issue 11, 2015); MEDLINE (Ovid); EMBASE (Ovid); CANCERCD; Science Citation Index; and CINAHL from inception to November 2015. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing non-surgical interventions for the management of late radiation proctopathy in people with cancer who have undergone pelvic radiotherapy for cancer. Primary outcomes considered were: episodes of bowel activity, bleeding, pain, tenesmus, urgency, and sphincter dysfunction.
van de Wetering, Verleye, Andreyev, Maher, Vlayen, Pieters, van Tienhoven, Scholten, (2016). Non-surgical interventions for late rectal problems (proctopathy) of radiotherapy in people who have received radiotherapy to the pelvis. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2016 Apr;4():CD003455. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27111831