Management of Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Abstract

Gastrointestinal symptoms are among the most common and the most distressing for patients with cancer. Symptoms may be secondary to inflammatory lesions from the esophagus to the anus and may range from anorexia with nausea and vom­iting to diarrhea, constipation, obstipation, and tenesmus. The broad range of gastrointestinal symptomatology may be a di­rect consequence of the tumor or a secondary effect due to treatment of the tumor. In some instances the gastrointestinal symptoms may be secondary to an unrelated clinical disease such as infection, hepatitis, peptic ulceration, or diverticulitis.