Radiation damage to the intestines

Recently, radiation therapy has become increasingly important in the treatment of cervical cancer. Approximately 80-90% of patients are prescribed combined or combined treatments. Technical improvement of equipment, the use of fractional fractionation, intracavitary and distant irradiation, and supervoltage therapy have improved immediate and long-term treatment outcomes. However, the increase of focal total doses in the primary tumor area is often accompanied by the development of different types and severity of radiation reactions and damage of organs adjacent to the uterus, among which radiation reactions and intestinal damage dominate. They occur when the intestine is irradiated with doses higher than tolerated (for small intestine - 35 gray, for large intestine - 40-50 gray), and are caused primarily by high sensitivity of intestinal mucosa to the effects of ionizing radiation. Frequency of radiation injuries of the intestine is in direct dependence on the total absorbed doses of ionizing radiation and on the method of radiation therapy.