What causes radiation enteritis?
Apr 17, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Zhou Chao
Introduction
Radiation enteritis is an intestinal inflammation caused by radiation therapy, commonly occurring after radiotherapy for pelvic tumors. During radiotherapy, radiation can damage the intestinal mucosa, blood vessels, and nervous tissues. Therefore, the pathogenesis of this disease may involve mucosal injury, inflammatory response, and vascular damage. In addition, it could also be caused by nerve damage.
Generally, radiation enteritis is an intestinal inflammation caused by radiotherapy, commonly occurring after radiation treatment for pelvic tumors. During radiotherapy, radiation can damage the intestinal mucosa, blood vessels, and nervous tissues; thus, the pathogenesis of this disease may involve mucosal injury, inflammatory response, vascular damage, and other factors.
1. Mucosal Injury
Radiation affects the intestinal mucosa, causing epithelial cell apoptosis and necrosis, impairing the mucosal barrier, and leading to intestinal dysbiosis.
2. Inflammatory Response
After mucosal damage, a series of inflammatory responses are triggered, including leukocyte infiltration, release of inflammatory mediators, and tissue edema, which exacerbate intestinal inflammation.
3. Vascular Damage
Radiation affects intestinal blood vessels, damaging vascular endothelial cells and causing vessel wall thickening, resulting in reduced intestinal blood flow and ischemia.
In addition, nerve damage may also contribute. Early diagnosis and treatment are recommended to avoid delays in management and to prevent increased treatment difficulty.
