Radiation Enteritis
Radiation to areas of the digestive system can cause radiation enteritis. Your doctor may recommend diet changes and medicines to help relieve symptoms of radiation enteritis.
What is radiation enteritis?
Radiation enteritis can happen when radiation therapy damages the lining of the intestines. Radiation enteritis causes diarrhea and other digestive issues and is most common in people with cancer who receive radiation therapy to organs in the abdomen.
Radiation enteritis can be acute or chronic. Acute radiation enteritis begins shortly after you start radiation treatment and goes away a few weeks after radiation treatment ends.
Learn more about chronic radiation enteritis, including its symptoms and how to manage them, in the Digestive System Problems section in Late Effects of Cancer Treatment.
What are signs and symptoms of radiation enteritis?
It’s important to tell your doctor if you notice any of these problems. Signs and symptoms of acute radiation enteritis include:
Learn about other digestive system problems in people with cancer
- diarrhea
- frequent or persistent urges to have a bowel movement
- appetite loss
- abdominal pain
- nausea
- vomiting
In those with chronic radiation enteritis, these symptoms are often more severe and may include weight loss. Symptoms of radiation enteritis may be caused by conditions other than radiation enteritis, so tell your doctor about any digestive problems to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Radiation proctitis is a condition with symptoms like those of radiation enteritis, but proctitis is caused by radiation damage to the lining of the rectum. Learn more at Radiation Proctitis.
Risk factors for radiation enteritis
Your risk of developing radiation enteritis may be higher if you:
- received radiation therapy over a large area of your abdomen
- received large doses of radiation
- received chemotherapy at the same time as radiation therapy
- have had surgery to the abdomen or pelvis
- have diabetes or high blood pressure
- smoke or use other forms of tobacco
Talk with your doctor or nurse about steps you can take to lower your risk of developing radiation enteritis. Keep in mind that newer radiation therapy techniques may lower the risk of radiation enteritis in people being treated for cancer. Stereotactic body radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy, for example, may help avoid damage to healthy cells in the gut during treatment.
How is radiation enteritis diagnosed?
If you have symptoms of radiation enteritis, your doctor will do a physical exam and talk with you about your symptoms as well as current or prior cancer treatments. Your doctor may use imaging tests such as upper endoscopy or colonoscopy to diagnose radiation enteritis.
If those imaging tests are unable to find the cause of your symptoms, you may also need a CT scan, MRI, or capsule endoscopy. You may also need a stool test, blood test, and breath test to rule out infection or other conditions that may be causing your symptoms.
How is radiation enteritis managed and treated?
If you develop radiation enteritis during or shortly after receiving radiation therapy, treatment may focus on relieving symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe medicines to help stop diarrhea and ease abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. They may also recommend changes to your diet, such as eating frequent small meals, low-fiber foods, and foods high in sodium or potassium. Sometimes a dairy-free diet is advised.
Learn about specific food and drink choices that could help you manage diarrhea from radiation enteritis at Diarrhea and Cancer Treatment. You can also find helpful tips on managing symptoms of radiation enteritis at Nutrition During Cancer Treatment and in our booklet Eating Hints: Before, During, and After Cancer Treatment.
Learn more about how chronic radiation enteritis is managed in the Digestive System Problems section in Late Effects of Cancer Treatment.
Talking with your doctor about radiation enteritis
Tell your health care team if you have symptoms of radiation enteritis. They can help you find ways to manage this side effect of cancer treatment.
Questions to ask your provider about radiation enteritis:
- What symptoms or problems should I call you about?
- What medicines can I take for diarrhea and other radiation enteritis symptoms?
- What liquids and foods should I have each day? Which ones should I limit or avoid?
- Could I meet with a registered dietitian?
Getting support if you have radiation enteritis
Side effects like radiation enteritis can be hard to deal with, both physically and emotionally. It’s important to ask for support from your health care team. They can help you prepare for and make it through difficult times. Learn more about ways to cope with cancer, including ways to adjust to daily life during cancer treatment.
Caring for someone with radiation enteritis
For family members and friends who are caring for someone with cancer, you may find these suggestions for caregivers to be helpful.
Here are some ways to help your loved one:
- Encourage the person you are caring for to drink water or other fluids to stay hydrated. Provide them with a water bottle they can sip from and refill throughout the day.
- Try to keep the person’s pantry stocked with foods that can help relieve radiation enteritis symptoms. Learn more about these foods at Diarrhea and Cancer Treatment.
- Encourage the person you are caring for to take warm, shallow baths (sometimes called sitz baths) to help relieve pain and irritation from diarrhea.