Abstract
Individuals undergoing multimodality treatments for cancer are at risk for treatment toxicities that can negatively impact the entire gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the liver. These toxicities can be short term or they can linger for years after completion of treatment. Early assessment and recognition of patient symptoms allows for early intervention and management of toxicities. Some of the toxicities that impact patients include xerostomia, trismus, malabsorption, neutropenic typhlitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, veno-occlusive disease, and anterior resection syndrome. Symptoms affecting the GI tract are often underreported because of the social stigma of bowel problems. Accurate assessment is critical to optimal clinical management of toxicities. The treatment challenge is to prevent or manage these GI tract toxicities so that patient function is optimized and quality of life is maintained.
