1.   When infiltrated by inflammatory cells, the mucosa is known to generate a variety of inflammatory lipidic mediators such as arachidonic acid metabolites and platelet activating factor.

2.   The activation of the endothelium may be the result of microbial attack, contat activation by activated neutrophils, or some other external stimulus, including inflammatory mediators.

3.   The superoxide generated may have a direct cytotoxic effect or it may interact with inflammatory mediators to modify the inflammatory process.

4.   In vivo changes in the rectal values of eicosanoid inflammatory mediators induced by pelvic ratiotherapy were measured to study the pathophysiology of the early radiation bowel reaction.

5.   The rise in eicosanoid inflammatory mediators may have an important role in the pathophysiology of the early radiation bowel reaction.

6.   We did not look at the histological correlate of the inflammatory mediators as for ethical reasons we did not perform sigmoidoscopy and rectal biopsy.

7.   Specific prophylactic inhibition of eicosanoid inflammatory mediators should be investigated as a way of limiting normal tissue injury to the rectum during pelvic radiotherapy.

8.   Induction of remission is associated with inhibition or a decrease in the formation of the inflammatory mediators or, alternatively, may be achieved by blocking their specific receptors.

9.   Ketotifen may prevent the release of the inflammatory mediators from mast cells as well as from other inflammatory cells.