Palliative radiotherapy produced spectacular improvement in a terminally ill colorectal carcinoma patient with severe pain and duodenal bleeding.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a devastating effect on the quality of life, and the treatment of active intestinal bleeding in CRC is a real challenge at the end of life. This case report presents a spectacular effect of an unusual palliative treatment strategy in a middle-aged home hospice patient with severe pain and persistent duodenal bleeding secondary to its neoplastic infiltration. Palliative radiotherapy (RT) significantly improved pain control, terminated the duodenal bleeding, and allowed successful treatment of deep vein thrombosis, previously impossible due to the bleeding. It also made the patient independent of otherwise unavoidable transfusions, thus improving his quality of life. In our patient, RT played a leading role in restoring general fitness and, accordingly, mental state improvement. Our case demonstrates that palliative radiotherapy may be a valuable treatment option in cases similar to ours. Still, careful assessment of risks and benefits is always mandatory.