Protocolo diagnóstico y terapéutico del estreñimiento en el paciente oncológico

Constipation is one of the most frequent symptoms in oncology. It is defined in the intestinal frame as having fewer than two or three stools per week. Oncology patients generally have chronic constipation that worsens when occasional factors are added. In general, its picture is considered to have a multifactorial origin. Most of the time, its treatment consists in resolving its possible causes and using laxatives. The clinical picture of intestinal obstruction is more severe and its management requires greater care. It consists in stopping the adverse of the intestinal content. We will refer to malignant intestinal obstruction when its cause is related to a tumoral disease (colon, rectal cancer or peritoneal carcinomatosis are the most frequent causes). Treatment consists in surgery as long as the patient and the disease are candidates for it. However, most of the cases should be managed with conservative medical treatment, the prognosis of these patients being very poor