How to treat proctitis after radiotherapy for cervical cancer

Radiotherapy is one of the important means of treating cervical cancer, but many patients will experience radiation proctitis, which is the most common complication. The patient's rectal mucosa will erode, ulcerate or bleed, causing abdominal pain, bloody stools, pus and other symptoms, seriously reducing the quality of life. 80% of patients experience acute diarrhea during treatment, and chronic patients will have difficulty defecating or even intestinal obstruction. So how to treat proctitis after cervical cancer radiotherapy?

1. Self-regulation: Once proctitis occurs, the treatment plan needs to be adjusted to reduce the number of radiotherapy sessions. Patients should also pay attention to self-regulation, maintain healthy bowel habits, eat more easily digestible foods, avoid dry stools, and try to eat less high-fiber foods to reduce irritation to the rectal mucosa.

2. Drug treatment: In order to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life, cervical cancer patients can take drugs to relieve rectal inflammation. Commonly used drugs include glutamine, anti-inflammatory agents, antioxidants, intestinal mucosal protectors, intestinal flora regulators, etc. Glutamine can maintain the normal structure of the mucosa, improve intestinal immunity, and reduce inflammatory lesions. Anti-inflammatory agents can remove free radicals and play an anti-inflammatory role.

3. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment: Hyperbaric oxygen can better improve the blood supply and oxygen supply to rectal tissue, reduce inflammatory response, and is very important for the treatment of proctitis.

4. Chemical cauterization: If radiation proctitis is very severe and complicated by intestinal stenosis, persistent bleeding, etc., chemical cauterization treatment can be performed.

The above are the treatment methods for proctitis after radiation for cervical cancer, including self-regulation, drug therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, chemical cauterization, etc. Some patients need to consider surgical treatment, especially those with concurrent intestinal obstruction. With the continuous advancement of medical technology, non-surgical treatment has become the first choice for this disease. During the process of radiotherapy, once proctitis occurs, it is necessary to terminate the treatment or reduce the radiation dose and wait for the symptoms to resolve on their own. Once the disease is diagnosed, except for necessary treatment measures, proctoscopy should not be performed.