POLAROGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT OF PO(2) IN CERVIX CARCINOMA

The outcome of radiation therapy of cenix carcinoma might depend on th e oxygenation of the tumor tissue, An adequate method for measurement of tumor oxygen tension (pO(2)) is therefore needed, The purpose of th e work reported here was dual: (1) to investigate whether polarographi c pO(2) measurements with the Eppendorf pO(2) Histograph 6650 are suff iciently sensitive to detect differences in tumor pO(2) before and aft er blood transfusion of anemic patients and between poorly and well-va scularized tumor tissue, and (b) to investigate whether accurate tumor pO(2) measurements require extensive mapping of tumor temperature and the avoidance of anesthesia, Nineteen patients with squamous cell car cinoma of the uterine cervix FIGO stages Ib to IVb were included in th e study, Vascular density was determined by histological examination o f tumor biopsies, Propofol was used as a single anesthetic agent, Tumo r pO(2) distributions recorded before and after the administration of propofol were not different (P > 0.05), The temperatures measured in t he tumor periphery and center did not differ from the rectal temperatu re (P > 0.05), suggesting that tumor pO(2) measurements can be based o n the rectal temperature, Increased hemoglobin concentrations after bl ood transfusion resulted in increased tumor oxygenation in 50% of the patients (P < 0.001), The pO(2) frequency distributions of the suscept ible tumors showed increased 50th percentiles but unchanged 10th perce ntiles, suggesting that transfusion cannot reduce the fraction of radi ationresistant hypoxic tumor cells extensively, Tumor tissue with high vascular density showed higher pO(2) values than tumor tissue with lo w vascular density (P < 0.001), In conclusion, polarographic measureme nt of tumor pO(2) with the Eppendorf pO(2) Histograph 6650 is a sensit ive method for assessment of the oxygenation of cervix carcinoma, Reli able tumor pO(2) measurements can be performed in patients given propo fol anaesthesia and without extensive mapping of tumor temperature. (C ) 1997 Academic Press.