Oxygen tension measurements in human tumors:The institut gustave-roussy experience

Tumor hypoxia contributes to the response to radiotherapy and to chemotherapy. The oxygenation status of normal tissues and tumors was evaluated using the KIMOC-6650 histograph in 35 patients with head and neck tumors, 13 patients with metastatic malignant melanoma (MMM), and 6 patients with uterine cervical carcinoma. Patient compliance was good. The pO2 values measured in tumors were in general lower than those measured in normal tissues of the same patient. The pO2 in the tumors varied along the track and from one track to another. Important pO2 variability was also detected from one tumor to another. Patients with head and neck tumors had a median pO2 of 6.76 kPa (52 mmHg) in normal tissues (subcutaneous) and 1.33 kPa (10 mmHg) in tumors with 25% of the values below 0.26 kPa (2 mmHg). Patients with MMM had a median pO2 of 3.64 kPa (28 mmHg) in normal tissues (subcutaneous tissues and muscles) and pO2 was 0.91 kPa (7 mmHg) in tumors with 18% of the values below 0.26 kPa. Patients with uterine cervical carcinoma had a median pO2 of 6.37 kPa (49 mmHg) in normal tissues (vagina) and 2.73 kPa (21 mmHg) in tumors with 16% of the values below 0.26 kPa. The data for N2 and N3 head and neck nodes showed significantly more values below 0.26 kPa (2 mmHg) as nodal size increased (P < 0.001 by chi-square test). The best parameters to describe tissue oxygenation are discussed. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.