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Gastrointestinal Complications (PDQ®)
Patient Version   Health Professional Version   En español   Last Modified: 04/22/2009
Table 2. Possible Contributions to Diarrhea in Cancer

Cancer-related [5,18] Carcinoid syndrome
Colon cancer
Lymphoma
Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid
Pancreatic cancer, particularly islet cell tumors (Zollinger-Ellison syndrome)
Pheochromocytoma
Surgery- or procedure-related [14] Celiac plexus block
Cholecystectomy, esophagogastrectomy
Gastrectomy, pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure)
Intestinal resection (malabsorption due to short bowel syndrome)
Vagotomy
Chemotherapy-related [19,20] Capecitabine, cisplatin, cytosine arabinoside, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, docetaxel, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, interferon, irinotecan, leucovorin, methotrexate, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, topotecan
Radiation therapy–related (refer to the Radiation Enteritis section of this summary) [21,22] Irradiation to the abdomen, para-aortics, lumbar, and pelvis
Bone marrow transplantation–related [23] Conditioning chemotherapy, total-body irradiation, graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplants
Drug adverse effects [5,18] Antibiotics, magnesium-containing antacids, antihypertensives, colchicine, digoxin, iron, lactulose, laxatives, methyldopa, metoclopramide, misoprostol, potassium supplements, propanolol, theophylline
Concurrent disease [5,18] Diabetes, hyperthyroidism, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn disease, diverticulitis, gastroenteritis, HIV/AIDS, ulcerative colitis), obstruction (tumor-related)
Infection [24] Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Bacillus cereus, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, Rotavirus
Fecal impaction [5,18] Constipation leading to obstruction
Diet [5,18] Alcohol, milk, and dairy products (particularly in patients with lactose intolerance)
Caffeine-containing products (coffee, tea, chocolate), specific fruit juices (prune juice, unfiltered apple juice, sauerkraut juice)
High-fiber foods (raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole-grain products, dried legumes); high-fat foods (deep fat–fried foods, high-fat containing foods)
Lactulose intolerance or food allergies
Sorbitol-containing foods (candy and chewing gum); hot and spicy foods; gas-forming foods and beverages (cruciferous vegetables, dried legumes, melons, carbonated beverages)
Psychological factors [18] Stress

References

  1. Sykes NP: Constipation and diarrhoea. In: Doyle D, Hanks GW, MacDonald N, eds.: Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998, pp 513-26. 

  2. Yahanda AM: Hepatobiliary cancers. In: Berger DH, Feig BW, Fuhrman GM, eds.: The M.D. Anderson Surgical Oncology Handbook. Boston, Mass: Little, Brown, 1995, pp 194-224. 

  3. Mercadante S: Diarrhea in terminally ill patients: pathophysiology and treatment. J Pain Symptom Manage 10 (4): 298-309, 1995.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  4. Gupta E, Lestingi TM, Mick R, et al.: Metabolic fate of irinotecan in humans: correlation of glucuronidation with diarrhea. Cancer Res 54 (14): 3723-5, 1994.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  5. Wadler S, Benson AB 3rd, Engelking C, et al.: Recommended guidelines for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced diarrhea. J Clin Oncol 16 (9): 3169-78, 1998.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  6. Makrauer FL, Oates E, Becker J, et al.: Does local irradiation affect gastric emptying in humans? Am J Med Sci 317 (1): 33-7, 1999.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  7. Donaldson SS: Nutritional consequences of radiotherapy. Cancer Res 37 (7 Pt 2): 2407-13, 1977.  [PUBMED Abstract]

  8. Charuhas PM: Medical nutrition therapy in bone marrow transplantation. In: McCallum PD, Polisena CG, eds.: The Clinical Guide to Oncology Nutrition. Chicago, Ill: The American Dietetic Association, 2000, pp 90-8. 

  9. DuPont HL: Guidelines on acute infectious diarrhea in adults. The Practice Parameters Committee of the American College of Gastroenterology. Am J Gastroenterol 92 (11): 1962-75, 1997.  [PUBMED Abstract]


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