SURVIVAL OF PATIENTS WITH RADIATION ENTERITIS OF THE SMALL AND THE LARGE-INTESTINE

We reviewed the clinical and survival data of 108 consecutive patients who presented with radiation enteritis between 1965 and 1981. One hun dred and two (94%) had been irradiated for carcinoma of the cervix ute ri. The median follow-up was of 11 years. The median time of occurrenc e of severe radiation-induced lesions (obstruction, perforation) after radiotherapy was of 18 months, against 10.5 months for mild symptoms (e.g., tenesmus) and 9 months for rectal bleeding (p < 0.001). Cox sur vival analysis taking into account the stage of the cancer and the age at diagnosis showed that rectal bleeding is a factor with a prognosis significantly poorer than the mild symptoms (p = 0.05), equivalent to that of the severe complications. We conclude that in the evaluation of patients who underwent radiotherapy for abdominal or pelvic tumours , rectal bleeding should be considered as a sign of serious radiation- induced complication.