Retrospective Study Provides Initial Toxicity Data in Radiation-Treated IBD

A retrospective study evaluating toxicity incidence in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for patients with pelvic tumors provides some of the only data for radiation therapy in this patient group, according to Bhupesh Parashar, MD.

CancerNetwork® spoke with Parashar, a physician professor, vice-chair of research, and co-director of the head and neck cancer service in Radiation Medicine at the Center for Advanced Medicine of Northwell Health Cancer Institute, about key takeaways based on findings from a retrospective study presented at the 2024 American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting.

Parashar highlighted careful consideration of radiation use for IBD based on patient disease status, performance status, and other criteria. Furthermore, Parashar emphasized the importance of the presentation findings due to limited relevant data for this patient group before explaining that final treatment recommendations may emerge based on prospective research.

Trial findings showed that among the 22 patients included in the trial, grade 0/1 toxicities were reported in 77.28% (n = 17) . Grade 2 and 3 toxicities occurred in 18.18% (n = 4) and 4.55% (n = 1) of patients, respectively. No patient characteristics or variables significantly impacted toxicity, which included those related to gender, diagnosis, cancer type, and dose fractionation. Additionally, investigators noted that 1 treatment discontinuation occurred due to grade 3 diarrhea.

Parashar conducted this research with lead author Julia Zinkin, a visiting scholar at Northwell Health.

Transcript:

For now, based on Julia's data, if patients have inflammatory bowel disease, we need to plan carefully. If they need radiation as a treatment, we should consider it depending on patients’ individual disease statuses, overall performance statuses, or other criteria. Julia's presentation is important for now, because there are almost no data for these patients. As I said, the ultimate final [treatment] recommendations for everyone are going to be based on a prospective study.

Reference

Zinkin, J, Ziemba Y, Zinkin H, Akerman M, Parashar B. Toxicity with contemporary radiotherapy in inflammatory bowel disease patients treated for pelvic malignancies. Presented at the 2024 American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting; September 29 – October 2, 2024; Washington, DC. Abstract 2941.