IMAGING TUMOR HYPOXIA AND TUMOR PERFUSION

Tumor perfusion and oxygenation status have been suggested as factors which may influence treatment outcome in cancer patients. Nuclear medi cine assays of tumor perfusion [Tc-99m-hexamethylpropylenamine oxime ( HMPAO)] and tumor hypoxia [I-123-iodoazomycin arabinoside (IAZA)] have recently been developed and described. We report on measurements of p erfusion and oxygenation status of 27 tumors in 22 patients using thes e probes. An inverse correlation between tumor uptake of HMPAO and IAZ A was measured (p < 0.05), with severe perfusion deficit usually assoc iated with an increased uptake of the hypoxic marker. This trend was o bserved for limited stage small-cell lung carcinoma, squamous-cell car cinoma of the head and neck, soft-tissue sarcoma, brain metastases fro m small-cell lung carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the prostate as a gr oup, but not for glioblastoma multiforme. Whereas each imaging agent c an yield information about the physiological status of tumor and norma l tissue, the information resulting from their combined use could be i mportant in cancer therapy.