A clinical experience of topical steroid therapy for radiation injuries of the sigmoid colon and the rectum following radiotherapy for cancer of the uterine cervix

Topical Depo-Medrol therapy was performed on 8 cases of delayed radiation injuries of the rectum due to radiotherapy. 2 cases were radiation injuries of the rectum which occurred after the treatment with intracavitary irradiation of small source of 137Cs and external irradiation of telecobalt, and they were treated about 2 years after the occurrence of the injuries. The other 6 cases were treated by means of an intracavitary apparatus of remote operation-type and Betatron 20MV x-ray. Depo-Medrol is aseptic water soluble suspension for injection containing 40 mg of methyl acetate prednisolone, and it contains 29 mg of polyethylenglycol 4,000. 1 ml of Depo-Medrol was added to 1 ml of physiological salt solution or to antibiotics in order to amounts to 2 ml of gross volume, and it was injected into the intestine through Nelaton's catheter inserted 8 cm in depth from the anus. This therapy was performed once per 2 weeks during 10 weeks. Effective case in which hemorrhage was not recognized evidently was one, and a little effective cases in which frequency of hemorrhage decreased, but discontinuous hemorrhage was recognized, were 5 cases. Remission of the symptom was recognized in 75%. The therapy was ceased on the way in two cases. Description was made as to treatment methods, irradiation dose, occurrence factors, and findings in delayed radiation injuries of the sigmoid colon and the rectum. It was stressed that if effective results of the treatment of radiation injuries was obtained, treatment results of cancer of the uterine cervix would be improved further. (Serizawa, K.)