Biomedical Research

Radiation proctitis, a form of colitis, occurs as a side effect of cancer radiation therapy to the pelvis. Hovewer there is no standard medical treatment with proven efficacy, endoscopic treatment such as argon plasma coagulation (APC) has been reported as en effective and safe therapeutic option. There is limited data about this treatment method belongs to our country. Therefore we aimed to analyze our patients with radiation proctitis treated by APC. 21 patients with radiation proctitis treated by APC were included in this retrospective study. The etiology, clinical features and clinical responses to APC sessions were analyzed. Two main criteria for application of APC were; insisting rectal bleeding and anemia. Fourteen women and 7 men (mean ages 60.6 and 61.8 respectively) were included in the study. Cervix carcinoma and prostat cancer were primary underlying malignancies. Average radiation colitis occurrence time and radiation dose were 13.2 months and 5600 cGy, respectively. Totally, 63 sessions of APC were performed (averagely 3. per patient) including in 5 patients only one session (23.8%), in 6 patients 2 sessions (28.5%) and in 10 patients 3 or more sessions (47.6%). Response to APC therapy was successful, frequency and severity of rectal bleeding decreased in 18 of 21 patients. On the other hand APC therapy was inefficient in three patients, but no serious complication was seen related to therapy. APC treatment for radiation proctitis could be a safe and effective therapeutic option.

Author(s): Muhammmed Sait Dag, ?rem Ak?n, Zeynel Abidin Öztürk, Abdurrahman Kuzhan ,Musa Ayd?nl?, Mehmet Cemil Savas, Abdurrahman Kaday?fç?
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