Predictive Power of the Tumor Oxygenation Status

Abstract
In most solid tumors the tissue pO2 status is poorer than in normal tissue at the site of tumor growth (for reviews see Vaupel et al., 1996, 1998; Vaupel and Hoeckel, 1998). Peculiarities of tumor tissue oxygenation can mainly be attributed to characteristic structural and functional abnormalities of the tumor microcirculation (perfusion-limited O2 delivery), to a deterioration of the diffusion-geometry (diffusion-limited O2 delivery), and—in some cases—to a reduced O2 carrying capacity of the blood due to tumor-associated anemia.