Nutritional Interventions for Reducing Gastrointestinal Toxicity in Adults Undergoing Radical Pelvic Radiotherapy

Summary

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 10 studies with a total of 1670 patients to assess the effects of nutritional interventions for reducing GI toxicity in adults undergoing radical pelvic radiotherapy. Four studies, three of which were RCTs and one prospective study, investigated the effect of elemental diet on GI symptoms; one RCT investigated the effect of dietary modification and elemental diet; and five RCTs investigated dietary modification. These included single interventions or combinations of modified fat or lactose-restriction and fibre supplementation.

A meta-analysis could not be performed. Data were dichotomised for presence and absence of diarrhoea at the end of radiotherapy for four trials evaluating dietary modification comprising modified fat, lactose, fibre or combinations of these dietary changes. A reduction in diarrhoea was demonstrated with nutritional intervention (table 1). Two trials evaluating dietary modification on weight change showed no difference between intervention and control (Table 1).