title: In vivo rectal inflammatory mediator changes with radiotherapy to the pelvis.
abstract: In vivo changes in the rectal values of eicosanoid inflammatory mediators induced by pelvic radiotherapy were measured to study the pathophysiology of the early radiation bowel reaction. Ten patients having pelvic radiotherapy, aged 57 to 78, had rectal dialysis. Values of the eicosanoids leukotriene B4 (LTB4), thromboxane B2 (TXB2), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were measured before radiotherapy, at the end of radiotherapy, and at least four weeks after radiotherapy. Values of LTB4 rose with radiotherapy from 0.21 ng.ml-1 (median) to 1.14 ng.ml-1 (p = 0.012); PGE2 rose from 0.60 ng.ml-1 to 1.58 ng.ml-1 (p = 0.038), and TXB2 rose from 0.365 ng.ml-1 to 1.6 ng.ml-1 (p = 0.005). The rise in eicosanoid inflammatory mediators may have an important role in the pathophysiology of the early radiation bowel reaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Therapeutics, University Hospital, Nottingham.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sokal
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Hawkey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003956:Dialysis; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism*; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012007:Rectum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015777:Eicosanoids; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D013929:Thromboxane B2; D015232:Dinoprostone