Increased energy turnover of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Tumor tissue differs from healthy tissue in that its cell kinetics have changed and because of dislocations in the relationship of individual metabolic pathways to each other. The objective of the analyses presented was the microcalorimetric measurement of the resulting differences in energy turnover, exemplified by esophageal tumors. Methods: For this purpose, the thermal output of eight biopsy samples from squamous cell carcinomas and four biopsies from Barrett carcinomas was compared with that of 11 samples from normal esophageal mucous membranes at a temperature of 37°C. Results: While the thermal output found for the squamous cell carcinoma was significantly enhanced by a factor of 2–3 in contrast to the healthy esophageal mucous membranes, the values found for the adenocarcinoma remained unchanged. Conclusions: Taking the literature into consideration, the different behavioral patterns of the two carcinoma types can best be explained in terms of a higher degree of glycolysis in the esophageal adenocarcinoma than in the squamous cell carcinomas. Clinical conclusions may be drawn with respect to an appropriate, stage-oriented therapy for the treatment of malignant gastrointestinal tumors.