THE EFFECTS OF ABDOMINAL IRRADIATION FOR SEMINOMA OF THE TESTIS ON GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION

To evaluate the long-term effects of abdominal irradiation for the tre atment of seminoma of the testis on gastrointestinal function, 15 rand omly selected patients who had been treated for stage I seminoma of th e testis 2-10 years previously had the following parameters of gastroi ntestinal function evaluated: gastrointestinal symptoms; absorption of bile acid; vitamin B12; lactose and fat; gastric emptying; small inte stinal and total gut transit; and intestinal permeability. Results wer e compared to those obtained in 18 normal volunteers. There was an inc reased prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms (P < 0.01) in the patie nts and stool frequency was above the control range in two of them. Ga stric emptying was faster (P < 0.01) in the patients. There were no si gnificant differences in vitamin B12, bile acid, lactose or fat absorp tion, small intestinal transit or whole gut transit between the two gr oups, although faecal fat excretion was greater than the control range in three of the patients. At least one parameter of gastrointestinal function was abnormal in 11 of the 15 patients. Patients with right-si ded seminoma had a greater bowel frequency when compared to those with left-sided seminoma (P < 0.05). We conclude that mild abnormalities i n gastrointestinal function occur frequently when abdominal irradiatio n is used to treat stage I seminoma.