Radiat Oncol J.
2023 Jun;41(2):61-68. 10.3857/roj.2023.00346.
Research progress and treatment of radiation enteritis and gut microbiota
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Radiotherapy, The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, China
- 2Department of Radiotherapy, Graduate School of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
- 3Department of Histology and Embryology, Heze Medical College, Heze, China
- 4Department of Radiotherapy, Changzhou Fourth People's Hospital, Changzhou, China
- KMID: 2544020
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3857/roj.2023.00346
Abstract
- Radiation enteritis is a kind of intestinal radiation injury in patients with pelvic and retroperitoneal malignancies after radiotherapy, and its occurrence and development process are very complicated. At present, studies have confirmed that intestinal microecological imbalance is an important factor in the formation of this disease. Abdominal radiation causes changes in the composition of the flora and a decrease in its diversity, which is mainly manifested by a decrease in beneficial bacterial species such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria. Intestinal dysbacteriosis aggravates radiation enteritis, weakens the function of the intestinal epithelial barrier, and promotes the expression of inflammatory factors, thereby aggravating the occurrence of enteritis. Given the role of the microbiome in radiation enteritis, we suggest that the gut microbiota may be a potential biomarker for the disease. Treatment methods such as probiotics, antibiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation are ways to correct the microbiota and may be an effective way to prevent and treat radiation enteritis. Based on a review of the relevant literature, this paper reviews the mechanism and treatment of intestinal microbes in radiation enteritis.
