ABSTRACT
Constipation is an extremely common symptom in the U.S. population as a
whole, with the prevalence in advanced cancer patients and in those receiving
cancer treatments as high as 55% and 50%, respectively (1). It is associated with
a considerable amount of distress in oncology patients, which in turn leads to
frequent and recurrent hospital visits. To avoid prolonged and costly hospital
admissions, appropriate prevention and treatment guidelines are imperative to
improve quality of life in a cost-effective manner.
