Topical phenylephrine in the treatment of radiation-induced faecal incontinence.

AIMS: Acute bowel toxicity after pelvic radiotherapy is defined as occurring within 3 months of the start of treatment; chronic gastrointestinal toxicity may continue after the acute phase or start after a latent period. One in five patients develop chronic faecal incontinence affecting quality of life; how best to treat these patients is not known. This retrospective study aimed to determine the effects of a new agent, phenylephrine gel, in the treatment of chronic radiation-induced faecal incontinence.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients prescribed phenylephrine gel for new-onset faecal incontinence after radiotherapy were identified from our database of patients treated in a specialist radiation-induced bowel damage clinic since 2000. Changes in the level of faecal incontinence were assessed using the Vaizey faecal incontinence scoring system before and after treatment.
RESULTS: Fifteen patients (nine men and six women) of mean age 70.5 years (standard deviation 8.2, age range 56-82 years) were treated with phenylephrine gel a median of 43 months after completing radiotherapy. The median Vaizey score before treatment with phenylephrine gel was 17 (interquartile range [IQR] 14-20) and after treatment was 14 (IQR 11-18) (P = 0.005). The median length of treatment with phenylephrine gel was 28 days (IQR 28-365). Scores improved in 11 out of 15 patients; four out of 15 patients showed substantial improvements of 7 or more points; and seven patients considered the gel helpful.
CONCLUSION: Topical phenylephrine gel for the treatment of radiation-induced faecal incontinence has not been previously reported. This small, retrospective study suggests that it may help most patients and, in some, the improvement may be substantial. However, larger placebo-controlled prospective studies are required.