Probiotic supplementation showed beneficial effect in the prevention and treatment of radiation-induced diarrhea in experimental animal studies .
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Probiotic supplementation seems to provide beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of  radiation-induced diarrhea .
We performed a systematic review and meta- analysis to estimate the efficacy of probiotic supplementation for prevention and treatment of  radiation-induced diarrhea .
Effects of probiotic Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 in prevention of radiation-induced diarrhea: results from multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled nutritional trial.
PURPOSE To determine whether a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 reduces the incidence of radiation-induced diarrhea in patients with gynecologic cancer . METHODS AND MATERIAL S Patients who were undergoing pelvic radiotherapy ( 45 - 50 Gy , conventional fractionation ) for either cervical carcinoma ( radiotherapy and weekly cisplatin ) or endometrial adenocarcinoma ( postoperative radiotherapy ) were r and omly assigned to a probiotic drink or placebo , in a double-blind fashion . The probiotic drink consisted of liquid yogurt containing L. casei DN-114 001 at 10(8 ) CFU/g . The patients recorded the daily the number of bowel movements and scored the stool consistency using the Bristol scale . Diarrhea was grade d weekly according the Common Toxicity Criteria system . The primary endpoint was to reduce the incidence of diarrhea , defined by a Common Toxicity Criteria Grade of 2 or greater or the need for loperamide . RESULTS A total of 85 patients were enrolled .  Grade 2 or greater diarrhea and /or the use of loperamide was observed in 24 of 41 patients in the placebo group and 30 of 44 in the probiotic group ( p = 0.568 ) . No differences were found in the median time to the presentation of the primary endpoint . Probiotic intervention had a significant effect on stool consistency ( p = 0.04 ) . The median time for patients to present with Bristol scale stools of Type 6 or greater was 14 days for patients receiving the probiotic drink vs. 10 days for those receiving placebo . CONCLUSION Nutritional intervention with the probiotic drink containing L. casei DN-114 001 does not reduce the incidence of radiation-induced diarrhea as defined by a Common Toxicity Criteria Grade 2 or greater . However , it had a significant effect on stool consistency as measured by the Bristol scale
Probiotic supplementation showed beneficial effect in the prevention and treatment of radiation-induced diarrhea in experimental animal studies .
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Probiotic supplementation seems to provide beneficial effects in the prevention and treatment of  radiation-induced diarrhea .
We performed a systematic review and meta- analysis to estimate the efficacy of probiotic supplementation for prevention and treatment of  radiation-induced diarrhea .