Bowel function and cancer
Diarrhea
Diarrhea is a common side effect during chemotherapy, especially for patients who receive drugs such as Irinotecan, 5-FU, and others, as well as patients receiving pelvic radiation therapy.
Chronic diarrhea can persist up to 10 years in 13% to 50% of patients who have received treatment for rectal or colon cancer.
- It is more common for rectal cancer patients.
- This is because rectal cancer patients often receive radiation therapy, in addition to chemotherapy and surgery that can impact their bowel movements.
- This can manifest itself as:
- Clustering
- Iincrease in nighttime bowel movement
- Decrease reservoir capacity
- Incontinence
- Inability to defer defecation
Bowel dysfunction
Bowel dysfunction is also common in patients who have received treatment for rectal cancer, anal cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, and other types of cancer in the abdomen or pelvis.
Uncontrolled bowel movements can occur from radiation therapy, which is often used in treating these cancers, because cancer in the pelvis and abdomen can irritate the bowels.
Treatment for bowel dysfunction includes:
1. Anti-diarrheal medications
2. Bulk-forming agents
3. Using undergarment pads
4. Eliminating certain foods, such as fats and oils, meat, milk products, raw vegetables, fibrous foods
5. Some patients have tried probiotic supplements, but with limited benefit
More studies are needed in this area because bowel dysfunction can significantly impact quality of life.
Bowel obstructions:
In patients with cancer in the pelvis or abdomen, bowel obstruction can be a serious problem.
Symptoms of bowel obstruction are:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
Treatment:
- In situations when the bowel obstruction does not resolve, a tube might be inserted into the stomach to depress the bowel contents and pressure.
- Surgery is considered in patients with frequent episodes of bowel obstruction that is associated with adhesion of bowel.
- All abdominal surgeries can be associated with certain risk of bowel obstruction that can occur months to years after surgery.
For more information about late effects of radiation therapy, follow this link to the National Cancer Institute web page.
Effects of organ function after cancer treatment
- Bowel function
- Eye changes
- Hearing loss
- Heart health
- Kidney and liver function
- Lung function
- Skin changes
