PREVENTION OF RADIOINDUCED CYSTITIS BY ORGOTEIN - A RANDOMIZED STUDY

On the basis of previous experiences indicating that the anti-oxidant agent Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an effective drug in reducin g acute and late radiation-induced tissue injury, in the Center of Rad iotherapy and Oncology of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain in 1990 we imple mented a randomized prospective study to analyze the incidence and gra de of side effects in a group of bladder cancer patients. After surger y patients were randomly allocated to receive either: Option A: Radiot herapy or Option B: Radiotherapy + SOD 8mgr/IM/day, after each radioth erapeutic application. Between January 1990 and January 1995 a total o f 448 patients were included (226A/222B). Apart from cutaneous side ef fects, a highly significant incidence of radioinduced acute cystitis a nd rectitis was detected in patients not treated by SOD. Which was sim ilar to the delayed side effects. From our data we can conclude that S OD is effective in decreasing acute radioinduced damage, and also in p reventing the appearance of more delayed disorders.