Polarographic measurement of pO(2) in cervix carcinoma

The outcome of radiation therapy of cenix carcinoma might depend on the oxygenation of the tumor tissue, An adequate method for measurement of tumor oxygen tension (pO(2)) is therefore needed, The purpose of the work reported here was dual: (1) to investigate whether polarographic pO(2) measurements with the Eppendorf pO(2) Histograph 6650 are sufficiently sensitive to detect differences in tumor pO(2) before and after blood transfusion of anemic patients and between poorly and well-vascularized 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 carcinoma of the uterine cervix FIGO stages Ib to IVb were included in the study, Vascular density was determined by histological examination of tumor biopsies, Propofol was used as a single anesthetic agent, Tumor pO(2) distributions recorded before and after the administration of propofol were not different (P > 0.05), The temperatures measured in the tumor periphery and center did not differ from the rectal temperature (P > 0.05), suggesting that tumor pO(2) measurements can be based on the rectal temperature, Increased hemoglobin concentrations after blood transfusion resulted in increased tumor oxygenation in 50% of the patients (P < 0.001), The pO(2) frequency distributions of the susceptible tumors showed increased 50th percentiles but unchanged 10th percentiles, suggesting that transfusion cannot reduce the fraction of radiationresistant hypoxic tumor cells extensively, Tumor tissue with high vascular density showed higher pO(2) values than tumor tissue with low vascular density (P < 0.001), In conclusion, polarographic measurement of tumor pO(2) with the Eppendorf pO(2) Histograph 6650 is a sensitive method for assessment of the oxygenation of cervix carcinoma, Reliable tumor pO(2) measurements can be performed in patients given propofol anaesthesia and without extensive mapping of tumor temperature. (C) 1997 Academic Press.