MICROCALORIMETRIC INVESTIGATIONS ON ISOLATED TUMOROUS AND NONTUMOROUSTISSUE SAMPLES

In this study, microcalorimetric measurements were carried out on 44 t umorous and non-tumorous tissue samples from organs of the uro-genital tract as well as from the mammae and the colon. The aim of this inves tigation was to compare the results of the microcalorimetric measureme nts with those of impulse-cytophotometrical and histological examinati ons in order to provide evidence of the metabolic activity of tumorous and non-tumorous tissues. The course of the heat output of the tissue samples was measured at one-minute intervals and graphically displaye d as a function of time. For the evaluation of the results of the micr ocalorimetrically measured values, the maxima (P(max)), the mean value s (PBAR), and the contour integrals (W) of the microcalorimetric curve s were determined. It was found that, without exception, all measured metabolic activity values of tumorous tissue samples were distinctly h igher than those of non-tumorous tissue samples from the same organ. W e conclude that through a microcalorimetric analysis, it is possible t o differentiate between healthy and tumorous tissue samples on the bas is of a varyingly higher metabolic activity of the malignant samples.