Radiation proctitis history and symptoms

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief:

Overview

The majority of patients with [disease name] are asymptomatic.

OR

The hallmark of [disease name] is [finding]. A positive history of [finding 1] and [finding 2] is suggestive of [disease name]. The most common symptoms of [disease name] include [symptom 1], [symptom 2], and [symptom 3]. Common symptoms of [disease] include [symptom 1], [symptom 2], and [symptom 3]. Less common symptoms of [disease name] include [symptom 1], [symptom 2], and [symptom 3].

History and Symptoms

• The majority of patients with [disease name] are asymptomatic.

OR

• The hallmark of [disease name] is [finding]. A positive history of [finding 1] and [finding 2] is suggestive of [disease name]. The most common symptoms of [disease name] include [symptom 1], [symptom 2], and [symptom 3].
• Symptoms of [disease name] include [symptom 1], [symptom 2], and [symptom 3]. 

History

Patients with [disease name]] may have a positive history of:

• [History finding 1]
• [History finding 2]
• [History finding 3]

Common Symptoms

Common symptoms of Radiation proctitis include:

• Changes in bowel habits,usually mild diarrhea
• Tenesmus
• Fecal urgency
• Mucus discharge

Less Common Symptoms

Less common symptoms of [disease name] include

• Abdominal pain
• Constipation
• Severe Diarrhea
• Rectal bleeding

Symptoms occur in the first few weeks after therapy. These symptoms include diarrhea and the urgent need to defecate, often with inability to do so (tenesmus). Acute radiation proctitis usually resolves without treatment after several months, but symptoms may improve with butyrate enemas. This acute phase is due to direct damage of the lining (epithelium) of the colon.

Chronic radiation proctitis

Endoscopic image of radiation proctitis before and after therapy with argon plasma coagulation.

Symptoms may begin as early as several months after therapy but occasionally not until several years later. These symptoms include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, painful defecation, and intestinal blockage. Intestinal blockage is a result of narrowing of the rectum which blocks the flow of feces due to stricture and results in symptoms in the form of constipation,rectal pain,urgency, and rarely, fecal incontinence due to overflow. Connections fistulae may also develop between the colon and other parts of the body such as the skin or urinary system.Inury to the nearby organs can lead to cystitis,urethral stenosis,small bowel obstruction and small bowel bacterial overgrowth.