What do systematic reviews say?

Probiotics vs placebo

Probiotics showed no clear difference in diarrhoea grade 4 compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.33 [0.01, 7.78]
  1 study · 46 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs placebo

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  1 study · 226 participants
  Very low

Probiotics vs placebo or control

Summary of findings: Probiotics may leads to lower diarrhoea (grade 2+) compared with control (placebo or no intervention) (low certainty).

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.43 [0.22, 0.82]
  5 studies · 923 participants
  Low

Summary of findings: Proteolytic enzymes vs placebo or control

It is very uncertain whether summary of findings: Proteolytic enzymes changes diarrhoea (grade 2+) compared with control (placebo or no intervention) (very low certainty).

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.6 [0.89, 2.89]
  1 study · 56 participants
  Very low

Glutamine vs placebo

Summary of findings: Glutamine showed no clear difference in diarrhoea (grade 2+) compared with placebo (high certainty).

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.98 [0.78, 1.24]
  4 studies · 289 participants
  High

Summary of findings: Aminosalicylates vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Corticosteroids vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Summary of findings: Sodium butyrate vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Misoprostol vs placebo

It is very uncertain whether summary of findings: Misoprostol changes diarrhoea (grade 2+) compared with placebo (very low certainty).

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.46, 2.19]
  1 study · 100 participants
  Very low

Summary of findings: Magnesium oxide vs placebo

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Summary of findings: Octreotide vs placebo

Summary of findings: Octreotide showed no clear difference in diarrhoea (grade 2+) compared with placebo (moderate certainty).

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.01 [0.76, 1.35]
  2 studies · 340 participants
  Moderate

Probiotics vs placebo

Probiotics showed no clear difference in diarrhoea grade 2 or higher compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.67 [0.22, 2.05]
  1 study · 46 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs placebo

Probiotics showed no clear difference in diarrhoea grade 3 or higher compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.11 [0.01, 1.95]
  1 study · 46 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs placebo

Probiotics showed no clear difference in diarrhoea grade 2 or higher compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.75 [0.55, 1.03]
  4 studies · 420 participants
  Low

Probiotics vs placebo

• Probiotics for the prevention or treatment of chemotherapy‐ or radiotherapy‐related diarrhoea in people with cancer 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  3 studies · 793 participants
  Low

Sucralfate vs placebo

Summary of findings: Sucralfate may leads to lower diarrhoea (grade 2+) [during RT] compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Interventions to reduce acute and late adverse gastrointestinal effects of pelvic radiotherapy for primary pelvic… 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.81
  4 studies · 284 participants
  Low