Pseudomembranous colitis. Searching for the cause in a patient with gynaecologic carcinoma on radiation therapy

Background: Clostridium difficile is the pathogen most often responsible for nosocomially acquired diarrhoea. Cl. difficile associated diarrhoea (CDAD) varies from mild, spontaneously resolving diarrhoea to pseudomembranous colitis (PMC), toxic megacolon or colonic perforation. Risk factors implicated in the development of CDAD are antibiotics, immunosuppression, and underlying malignancy, increasing age, female gender, recurrent or prolonged hospitalisation and chemotherapy. Irradiation of the pelvic region may damage the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract most often causing postirradiation colitis. Therapy o…