Successful treatment of intractable bleeding caused by radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis using oral prednisolone: a case report

Recurrent Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding due to Radiation-Induced Hemorrhagic Gastroduodenal Ectasia: A Review of Current Treatment Options for Radiation-Induced Gastric Injury

Introduction

Acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most common medical emergencies that present to the hospital, and delineating the underlying etiology is essential to provide adequate definitive treatment. The purpose of this case report was to review the diagnosis and treatment of a rare complication known as radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis (RIHG) that can occur in patients with prior radiation exposure. The motivation for this study arose from the identification of a case within our institution.

Case Presentation

The study involved a review of the diagnosis and management of a patient who presented with anemia and recurrent episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding at our institution after undergoing treatment for metastatic biliary adenocarcinoma. With the advent of new therapies, we aimed to investigate the various techniques utilized to manage these patients and highlight the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for RIHG as a potential etiology of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with a relevant medical history of radiation exposure. Despite the literature review, we found that there is a lack of guidelines in the approach to the management of these patients.

Conclusion

This case report underscores the rarity of radiation-induced gastritis and the complications that may arise from its diagnosis, including recurrent GI bleeding. Further investigation into identifying definitive treatment and creating guidelines for its management is desperately needed.

Clinical course and treatment of radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis: a case series study

Radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis is a relatively uncommon complication of irradiation that can be severe. However, appropriate treatment guidelines have not yet been established because of the small number of known cases. At our hospital, we encountered nine cases of radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis between July 2005 and July 2018. All patients initially underwent argon plasma coagulation (APC) for hemostasis. The treatment was highly effective, and hemostasis was successfully achieved in eight of the cases. Hemostasis could not be achieved in one case treated with APC; therefore, surgical resection was required. This patient had risk factors, such as liver cirrhosis and a history of abdominal surgery. Our case series suggests that APC is an effective hemostatic method that should be considered as the initial treatment option for radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis; however, surgical resection may be considered when the patient is at high risk for rebleeding.

Successful Palliative Radiotherapy for Malignant Cardiac Obstruction Caused by Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is a common malignancy and some patients are diagnosed with an unresectable stage of advanced gastric cancer. Although palliative radiotherapy (RT) is effective for several symptoms in gastric cancer, the duration of efficacy is limited. We report a case where palliative RT significantly improved malignant cardiac obstruction caused by gastric cancer over a long period of time.

A 78-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for anorexia and severe anemia. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed the giant gastric tumor in cardia and it was thought to be the cause of anemia. Biopsy revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma; she was diagnosed with gastric cancer. Her clinical cancer staging was IV and she wished to receive palliative care. The malignant cardiac obstruction became severe, and to improve the obstruction, palliative RT was performed. The gastric tumor with a diameter of 4 cm was significantly reduced and the obstruction disappeared. For three years after RT, she had no obstruction symptom.

The sensitivity of cells to radiation is proportional to the degree of differentiation. Palliative RT is effective for several symptoms in gastric cancer, and in our case, the duration of RT efficacy was long. Hence, RT may be useful when the histological type is poorly differentiated in gastric cancer.

The Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Management of Severe Radiation-Induced Hemorrhagic Gastritis in a Pediatric Patient

Radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis is a serious and rare complication of radiation therapy. Optimal therapies in the pediatric population are not well established. We report a 2-year-old female diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma who developed hemorrhagic gastritis following chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The patient presented with acute onset anemia, hematemesis, and melena. Endoscopies revealed circumferential ulceration at the pylorus with spontaneous oozing that failed to respond effectively with multimodal medical and endoscopic therapies. Following hemodynamic stabilization, the patient was treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy with excellent clinical response of the bleeding. Further research on the benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is warranted to determine if this treatment can reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal complications in patients who have received radiation therapy.

Upper GI Bleeding Secondary to Radiation Gastritis in a Patient with Preexisting Portal Hypertensive Gastropathy

We commonly see patients presenting with either portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) or radiation gastritis. Radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis is an unusual lethal complication postradiation. Patients with preexisting PHG have very friable mucosa that can easily bleed after radiation for cancer treatment. There is an increased risk of bleeding with both entities present together. Our aim is to focus on treatment and possible prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with preexisting PHG undergoing radiation therapy for newly diagnosed cancer. Several therapies like prednisolone, argon plasma coagulation, laser coagulation have been proposed. There are no set guidelines for treatment. In these patients, if radiation therapy is indicated either for hepatic or gastrointestinal malignancy, it is suggested to premedicate with proton pump inhibitors or sucralfate. We describe a case of 73-year-old female who presented with upper gastrointestinal bleeding. She had liver cirrhosis secondary to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, for which she received chemoradiation. She was found to have both radiation gastritis and PHG with diffuse erythematous, edematous, congested mucosa with diffuse oozing blood in the antrum making it very challenging to treat.

A Case Series of Radiation-induced Hemorrhagic Gastroduodenitis

Objective We examined the clinical course and treatment method of a case series of radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastroduodenitis with clinical signs. Methods This was a single-center retrospective observational study. Patients We included seven patients with radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastroduodenitis treated at our hospital between April 2014 and May 2020. Results One male patient each had cancer of the head of the pancreas, bile duct cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and ureteral cancer, whereas two women had recurrent endometrial cancer and one woman had recurrent cervical cancer. The onset occurred 3-5 months after the end of radiation treatment. Endoscopic examinations showed a red edematous mucous membrane in a fragile condition stretching from the antrum of the stomach to the duodenum, with telangiectasia and ulcer. For endoscopic hemostasis, five patients underwent argon plasma coagulation (APC), which was successful in three patients. Two of these were being administered an antithrombotic at the time. One case resistant to conservative treatment required repeated transfusion for recurring hemorrhaging over a short period of time and therefore underwent surgical treatment. Thereafter, the postoperative course was favorable. Conclusions Actively attempting hemostasis through APC and surgery is effective for treating radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastroduodenitis. The use of an antithrombotic agent might lead to a risk of repeated hemorrhaging. Therefore, repeated hemostasis through APC is crucial.

Gastric Complications after Adjuvant Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer

Purpose

In some patients who receive adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for the left breast, the stomach is located inside the RT field. This study investigates the incidence of gastric complications following adjuvant RT for breast cancer using data of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in South Korea.

Methods

We identified 37,966 women who underwent surgery and received adjuvant RT for breast cancer. The cumulative incidence rate of gastric hemorrhage and gastric cancer was calculated and compared for left and right breast cancers.

Results

Among 37,966 patients, 19,531 (51.4%) and 18,435 (48.6%) had right and left breast cancers, respectively. After a median follow-up duration of 6.3 years, the cumulative incidence of gastric cancer and gastric hemorrhage did not differ between right and left breast cancers (p = 0.414 and p = 0.166, respectively). The multivariable analysis revealed that old age was the only factor associated with the development of gastric cancer (p < 0.001) and gastric hemorrhage (p < 0.001). The incidence of gastric cancer and hemorrhage did not differ between patients who received adjuvant RT for right and left breast cancers.

Conclusion

Irradiation-related chronic complications of the stomach in patients with breast cancer are minimal. A study with a longer follow-up duration might be needed to assess the risk of gastric cancer.

A case report of endoscopic therapy for radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis in patient with recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma

RATIONALE

Radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis is an infrequent cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding and difficult to manage. The current standard treatment has not been well established.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We described a 32-year-old male patient with hemorrhagic gastritis induced by external radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence.

DIAGNOSES

The endoscopic examination showed a diffuse area of bleeding in the gastric antrum.

INTERVENTIONS

After failure of conventional hemostasis treatment, we successfully stopped the hemorrhage with repeated endoscopic argon plasma coagulation (APC) combined with low-dose polyglycerol sclerotherapy.

OUTCOMES

The patient was followed up for 6 months to date without recurrence.

LESSONS

Based on this case, we think that endoscopic APC combined with low-dose polidocanol sclerotherapy can be tried as a treatment for potentially life-threatening radiation-induced hemorrhagic gastritis.

Radiation-induced inflammation and autoimmune diseases

Currently, ionizing radiation (IR) plays a key role in the agricultural and medical industry, while accidental exposure resulting from leakage of radioactive sources or radiological terrorism is a serious concern. Exposure to IR has various detrimental effects on normal tissues. Although an increased risk of carcinogenesis is the best-known long-term consequence of IR, evidence has shown that other diseases, particularly diseases related to inflammation, are common disorders among irradiated people. Autoimmune disorders are among the various types of immune diseases that have been investigated among exposed people. Thyroid diseases and diabetes are two autoimmune diseases potentially induced by IR. However, the precise mechanisms of IR-induced thyroid diseases and diabetes remain to be elucidated, and several studies have shown that chronic increased levels of inflammatory cytokines after exposure play a pivotal role. Thus, cytokines, including interleukin-1(IL-1), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), play a key role in chronic oxidative damage following exposure to IR. Additionally, these cytokines change the secretion of insulin and thyroid-stimulating hormone(TSH). It is likely that the management of inflammation and oxidative damage is one of the best strategies for the amelioration of these diseases after a radiological or nuclear disaster. In the present study, we reviewed the evidence of radiation-induced diabetes and thyroid diseases, as well as the potential roles of inflammatory responses. In addition, we proposed that the mitigation of inflammatory and oxidative damage markers after exposure to IR may reduce the incidence of these diseases among individuals exposed to radiation.

Research status of radiation induced gastroduodenal injury

With the development of modern radiotherapy techniques, such as three dimensional conformal radiotherapy, Gamma-knife treatment, and tomotherapy, patients who have abdominal tumors like liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colon cancer can live longer. The wide use of radiation therapy increases the incidence of gastroduodenal radioactive injury. This article reviews the pathogenesis and pathological characteristic of radiation induced gastroduodenal injury, factors influencing the injury, and the diagnosis and treatment of radiation induced gastroduodenal injury. Currently, there have been few studies on the mechanism of radiation induced gastroduodenal injury. The optimal timing of endoscopic examination after radiotherapy is still inconclusive. V25 for the stomach, V35 for the duodenum and aV55 Gy for the duodenum are predictive factors for gastroduodenal toxicity (>grade 2, CTCAE3.0). There has been no treatment standard for curing radiation induced gastroduodenitis. Traditional Chinese medicine has unique advantages in the prevention and control of radiation induced gastroduodenal injury.

Subtotal gastrectomy for diffused hemorrhagic gastritis induced by radiation, following liver resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. A case report

INTRODUCTION

A rare case of hemorrhagic gastritis induced by radiation is presented, which was resistant to conservative treatment and required subtotal gastrectomy.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 56-year-old male was initially undergone right hepatectomy, resection of the extrahepatic biliary tree, hilar lymph node dissection and hepatico-jejunostomy due to advanced hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Because of the extent of the disease, chemo-radiotherapy was administered. The patient received a total radiotherapy dose of 57.6Gy in 32 sessions. Unfortunately, diffused hemorrhagic gastritis induced by radiation was developed, which was resistant to conservative treatment (endoscopic hemostasis, transfusion). A subtotal gastrectomy was performed. The patient is in good condition 45 months after the liver resection, but with local recurrence.

CONCLUSION

In resistant situations to conservative treatment and recurred bleeding of diffused hemorrhagic gastritis induced by radiation, surgical management may have a role.