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Tissue oxygen distribution in head and neck cancer patients
Author(s) -
Adam Markus F.,
Gabalski Edward C.,
Bloch Daniel A.,
Oehlert John W.,
Brown J. Martin,
Elsaid Amr A.,
Pinto Harlan A.,
Terris David J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0347(199903)21:2<146::aid-hed8>3.0.co;2-u
Subject(s) - medicine , hypoxia (environmental) , head and neck cancer , oxygenation , tumor hypoxia , radiation therapy , head and neck , limiting , tissue hypoxia , surgery , oxygen , chemistry , organic chemistry , mechanical engineering , engineering
Background The importance of hypoxia in limiting the sensitivity of tumor cells to ionizing radiation has long been known. Methods We evaluated the tissue oxygenation status with a polarographic needle electrode system in 37 patients with malignancies of the head and neck and correlated the pO 2 of 25 patients with treatment outcome. Results Sixteen tumors contained areas of severe hypoxia, defined by pO 2 values below 2.5 mm Hg. Tumor oxygenation parameters were not correlated with hemoglobin, age, and history of tobacco use. There were no subcutaneous pO 2 values below 10 mm Hg (ie, no areas of moderate or severe hypoxia), whereas this degree of hypoxia was commonly found in the tumors. Though not statistically significant, hypoxic tumors showed trends for poorer treatment outcome. Conclusion Our data demonstrate a great interindividual variability in the oxygenation of head and neck cancers and appears unassociated with clinical parameters. The method is capable of identifying patients with poorly oxygenated tumors, thereby providing important information for selecting patients who might need customized therapy designed to kill hypoxic tumor cells. Hypoxic tumors show a consistent trend for poor treatment outcome. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 21: 146–153, 1999.