P. Hohenberger et al., TUMOR OXYGENATION CORRELATES WITH MOLECULAR GROWTH DETERMINANTS IN BREAST-CANCER, Breast cancer research and treatment, 48(2), 1998, pp. 97-106
Hypoxic tumor cells may represent a fraction of cells that are not sus
ceptible to radiation or chemotherapy. Intratumoral oxygen partial pre
ssure (pO(2)) is the result of oxygen delivery and consumption. Cell p
roliferation is one factor to effect oxygen consumption and we therefo
re studied the correlation between tumor pO(2) and histological parame
ters. Patients and methods: In 36 women and one man (age range 29-80 y
ears) with suspected breast cancer. Before tumor resection, intralesio
nal pO(2) was determined with a polarographic needle electrode. Under
ultrasound control, 200 tumor measurements were obtained; Hb levels, H
k, arterial blood gas parameters, and tissue temperature were determin
ed. The median of pO(2) values and the percentage of hypoxic areas (pO
(2) < 10 mmHg) were calculated and correlated with the histological ty
pe, grading, ER, PR, and the expression of Ki-67, p53, EGFR, pS2, and
c-erb-B2. Results: The overall median pO(2) was 44 mmHg, and 1024 meas
urements (13.8%) represented hypoxic areas. Ductal and lobular invasiv
e cancers showed median pO(2) of 41 mmHg. The mean pO(2) of G1 tumors
was 59 mmHg and the hypoxic fraction 8%, in contrast to G2 tumors with
43 mmHg and 17%, and G3 tumors with 36 mmHg and 20.4% (p < 0.01). We
observed a correlation with tumor size and an increased rate of hypoxi
c areas in T3-4 lesions (p < 0.02). Also tumors with negative nodes or
positive ER had significantly higher pO(2) values, as did tumors with
an overexpression of c-erb-B2, p53, and cathepsin D. Conclusion: Oxyg
enation of human breast cancers can safely be measured in patients pri
or to surgical therapy, pO(2) values correlate both with prognostic ma
rkers examined histologically and with molecular growth factors. As th
e efficacy of preoperative or adjuvant treatment in individuals may de
pend on oxygen partial pressure, efforts to manipulate tumor pO(2) for
therapeutic purpose could be promising.