IGRT colorectal burn

[Rod Marden]

Just had dx by colonoscopy of mild to moderate colorectal burn by my GI doctor following IGRT that ended 6 months ago. Anyone else have this problem? Occasional rectal bleeding from it. Any treatments available to heal the burn? Other than that - IGRT was successful so far in treating the cancer with no other side effects.

[Leah]

After my husband's RT he had a bit of this problem and the doctor recommended an over-the-counter ointment to alleviate it. Turned out the pain subsided and husb didn't need it. Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the product -- I will ask my husband when he comes home if he remembers it. In any case, why not put this question to the radiation onc that treated you?

Good Luck.

[Rod Marden]

Had trouble accessing your reply. Thank you for your e-mail. Seeing my radiation oncologist tomorrow and will ask him about solving the burn that was caused by the radiation. Fortunately, it's not causing any pain now (it did during treatment). Just want to see if I can get rid of the burn, since the GI doctor wasn't sure if it would ever heal up.

[Joe McCleskey]

Aloha Rod,
I'll make this brief, then you can ask questions about areas of interest. My GP (when looking for a loose staple, PPK, 6 mths after EBRT/IMRT) said that I had a very irritated area in the rectum (radiation burn). About 10 mths after EBRT, I started to bleed. No pain or irritation, just doing #2 about 5 to 10 times/day. Finally, about 1 year later, an internist took a look and said that I had been burned and used an Ag laser to cauterize most of the bleeding area. Where you are burned, 8 to 10 months later, many hundreds of blood vessels form at the surface, and bleed. I took two Argon laser treatments to stop most of the bleeding. I still have a small amount of blood which I may half to live with, still going #2, 5 to 6 time/day (makes travel sorta difficult with a damaged anus). The radiation oncologist denies that his treatment caused this problem. The GI doc says he sees about 10% of EBRT cases which result in burned rectum & anus. None of this was ever painful, except during radiation. Then it was very painful going #1 & #2. I tried to stop, but was given sufficient meds to continue.
If your #2 is some what normal, then perhaps your anus was not damaged.
Joe 68 Hamakua Coast

[Rod Marden]

Thanks. My radiologist said that the burn is somewhat common (wish I had known) - because the radiation thins the lining of the rectum and intestinal area inback of the prostate. He thinks it will go away on its own. I think he said this because he does not know of any treatments. I am only going 1ce or 2ce per day now -both times showing some blood which stops in less than a minutes, but 2 weeks ago it was 5 times per day. Had a stool sample analyzed for 3 different types of bacteria - turns out I had c-diff. As soon as that was handles with Flagyl, the going problem resolved. Have you been tested for any bacterial infection in you intestines? I understand that more people may be carrying c-diff than what is commonly suspected.
Rod

[Joe McCleskey]

Aloha Rod,
I'm in the collection process now. If you don't mind, what consistency did your stools have?
Thanks,
Joe

[Joe McCleskey]

Aloha Rod,
My lab test was negative for bugs.
Still bleeding every week, mostly see it on wipe.
Still going 5-6 times/day, probably caused by the irritation.
Joe

[Rod Marden]

Sorry not to have replied sooner - on vacation. Just opened my e-mail and got your messages. Glad that it wasn't any parasites - problem is that it would have been nice if some anti-microbial meds could have helped. I have gotten somewhat better after being treated for c-diff. However, still lots of blood clots. My doc has me taking miralax - a stool softener - so that the irritated area doesn't get rubbed by any hard feces - this is working a little. The condition did get worse on my vacation - I am at 4500 feet above see level in Sedona - perhaps the elevation is thinning my blood and causing more bleeding. Has your doctor done a colonoscopy yet to see if there is anything else brewing? BTW there is a new preparation they are using consisting of Miralax and Ducolax which is far far better than the old phosphate solution (go-litely), so it would be as irritating and sickening as in the past. About going so much - I'm wondering if you did kegel exercise if this would help? Best of luck.
Rod

[eric]

I WISH U ALL THE BEST AND HOPE ALSO TO KNOW THE OUT COME SO THAT I MAY KNOW HOW TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT

[John Farrow]

After my radiation treatment 6 years ago, I suffered from anus and rectum burns and loss of elasticity of the anus. this caused severe irritation and burning around the anus and blood was present. The stinging and burning was so severe it was painfull to walk. My problem is that the feces leakes out of my rectum without me knowing and irritates the radiation burns on my anus, rectum and buttocks. After a lot of talking to doctors and specialists etc. one of them suggested that I try Calmoseptine Ointment. this ointment completely stops the stinging and pain. The only problem is, you have to reapply it after you wipe, because that removes the ointment. In Australia this medication can be purchased over the counter at any pharmacy without a doctors prescription. their website is. www.calmoseptineointment.com. I hope that this information will assist you and others, who have this painfull condition.

[Rod Marden]

Thanks. Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. What about kegel exercises to regain anal sphicter control?

[John Farrow]

Rod, thank you for your concern, I recieved numerious side effects from the radiation and hormone treatments, those mentioned earlier were just a few and I will not bore you with the rest. Tomorrow I am going to the hospital for tests, to see if I am eligable to take part in the ramdom trial being conducted by Couger Biotechnology, as my PSA is on the rise again. The drug they are trialing is Abiraterone acetate plus Prednisone, I am hopeing that if accepted I get the drug not the Placebo, as I have to go off my present medication for the length of the trial, therefore I will not be on any medication, its a 50 50 chance.
My cancer has been in the Advanced stage for the last year or so and I have been passing blood in my urine for the last 2 years.
I wish you all the best in your fight against this silent killer.

[Joe McCleskey]

Aloha John,
Have you considered an ostomy? I know several people who have lost their lower GI tract and seem to operate as normal every day people with this problem. It would give your lower tract and anus perhaps a chance to heal.
Faith, Hope, & Love,
Joe