Radiation proctitis

Radiation proctitis
Other names	Radiation proctopathy, Radiation associated vascular ectasias (RAVE)
Endoscopic image of radiation associated vascular ectasias (RAVE) before and after therapy with argon plasma coagulation.
Specialty	Gastroenterology
Symptoms	Pelvic pain, tenesmus, diarrhea, urgency, hematochezia
Complications	Anemia, perforation, fistulae
Types	Acute (<3 months after radiation) and Chronic (>3 months after radiation)
Causes	Pelvic radiation for cancer
Diagnostic method	Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy
Differential diagnosis	Infectious proctitis, inflammatory bowel disease
Treatment	Endoscopy with argon plasma coagulation, bipolar electrocautery, radiofrequency ablation

Radiation proctitis or radiation proctopathy is a condition characterized by damage to the rectum after exposure to x-rays or other ionizing radiation as a part of radiation therapy.^[1] Radiation proctopathy may occur as acute inflammation called "acute radiation proctitis" (and the related radiation colitis) or with chronic changes characterized by radiation associated vascular ectasiae (RAVE) and chronic radiation proctopathy.^[2][1] Radiation proctitis most commonly occurs after pelvic radiation treatment for cancers such as cervical cancer, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and rectal cancer. RAVE and chronic radiation proctopathy involves the lower intestine, primarily the sigmoid colon and the rectum, and was previously called chronic radiation proctitis, pelvic radiation disease and radiation enteropathy.^[3]