Radiation Enteritis

Radiation enteritis is a condition that occurs when radiation therapy causes damage to your intestines. Radiation therapy uses radioactive substances to destroy abnormal cells. It’s a common treatment for cancer and certain blood disorders.

Other terms that describe this condition include:

• Pelvic radiation disease.
• Radiation colitis.
• Radiation enteropathy.
• Radiation-induced bowel disease.
• Radiation mucositis.

What are the types of radiation enteritis?

The condition can be acute or chronic:

• Acute radiation enteritis occurs while you’re undergoing radiation therapy. Symptoms typically go away in a few weeks.
• Chronic radiation enteritis develops months to years after completing treatment. Symptoms stay with you for a long time and can lead to complications.

How common is radiation enteritis?

Radiation enteritis is far less common than it used to be. When older techniques of radiation therapy were delivered to your abdomen or pelvis, up to half of the people undergoing treatment could develop radiation enteritis. With modern techniques of radiation therapy, your risk of chronic radiation enteritis is much lower.

Some people face a higher risk due to:

• Conditions that decrease blood flow to their intestines, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
• Existing tissue irritation due to conditions like pelvic inflammatory disease.
• Other treatments that destroy cells, such as chemotherapy.
• Poor nutrition.
• Smoking and other forms of tobacco use.
• Tissue damage from prior abdominal surgeries.