Abdominal Complications of Chemotherapy in Childhood Malignancies: a Single Center Study

Abstract

Chemotherapy-related toxicities commonly involve the abdomen and may be specific to both the type of malignancy and treatment being used. These complications can produce CT findings in the hepatobiliary, gastrointestinal and urinary systems such as pseudo cirrhosis, hepatic steatosis, pseudo-membranouscolitis, neutropenicenterocolitis, hemorrhagic cystitis and renal masses. Recognition of these complications is important to facilitate the diagnosis and management. Our aim was to study all abdominal complications occurring during the course of chemotherapy for childhood malignancies; in order to define their epidemiologic and clinical features as well as their predisposing factors. The study reported our center experience with management and outcome of these complications for 5 years (from July 2008 to July 2013).