Radiotherapy and oncology : journal of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
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Review Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
The volume effect in radiation-related late small bowel complications: results of a clinical study of the EORTC Radiotherapy Cooperative Group in patients treated for rectal carcinoma.
The purpose of this study was to quantify the correlation between irradiated small bowel volume and late occurring small bowel complications. ⋯ This study demonstrated that there is a volume-effect in radiation-induced diarrhea at a dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions. No volume-effect for small bowel obstruction was detected at this dose-level in pelvic postoperative radiotherapy. A review of the literature data on small bowel obstruction indicates that the volume effect at this dose level can only be demonstrated in patients who were treated with extended field radiotherapy (estimated small bowel volume 800 cm3) after intra-abdominal surgery.