Purpose: To provide a current review of the literature related to chemotherapy induced diarrhea (CID), including clinical assessment, recommended management guidelines and investigational pharmacological approaches for the prevention and treatment of CID.
Data sources: A search of MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and Web of Science (1996-2006) databases was conducted using terms such as: chemotherapy, diarrhea, diarrhoea, and irinotecan. Appropriate references from selected articles were also used. The search engine, Google, provided further access to information.
Data extraction: The retrieved literature was reviewed to include all articles pertaining to the pathophysiology, assessment and management of CID.
Data synthesis: Diarrhea is a debilitating and potentially life-threatening side effect associated with many chemotherapeutic agents. Despite the high incidence and severity of CID, it is often under recognized and poorly managed. A multidisciplinary panel recently updated recommended practice guidelines for the assessment and management of CID. Prompt and aggressive intervention is important in order to minimize the negative consequences of CID, such as dehydration, which may cause interruptions in optimal clinical outcomes or may lead to life-threatening sequelae. Further investigation into the pathophysiology of CID may allow for more directed approaches in the prophylaxis and treatment of CID.