Palliative radiotherapy produced spectacular improvement in a terminally ill colorectal carcinoma patient with severe pain and duodenal bleeding

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a devastating effect on the quality of life, and the treatment of active intestinal bleeding in CRC is a real challenge at the end of life. This case report presents a spectacular effect of an unusual palliative treatment strategy in a middle-aged home hospice patient with severe pain and persistent duodenal bleeding secondary to its neoplastic infiltration. Palliative radiotherapy (RT) significantly improved pain control, terminated the duodenal bleeding, and allowed successful treatment of deep vein thrombosis, previously impossible due to the bleeding.
Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management - Category: Palliative Care Authors: Source Type: research