Intracapillary oxyhemoglobin saturation in malignant tumours with central or peripheral blood supply

Abstract

Solid tumours of DS-Carcinosarcoma show two different types of vascular patterns. Central blood supply and drainage are evident in tissue-isolated tumours in the rat kidney, but peripheral vascularization is found within tumours growing sub-cutaneously (s.c.). The oxygenation of both tumour types has been assessed by measurement of the intracapillary oxyhemoglobin saturation using a cryophotometric micromethod. In common with other solid tumours, measurements in tumour capillaries with diameters between 3 and 8 μ m reveal that very low oxyhemoglobin saturation values predominate during normal respiration. However, comparison of tumours at the same stage of growth indicates significantly higher saturation values in s.c. growing tumours than in tissue-isolated ones. It is concluded that the radiosensitivity must be higher in tumours with peripheral blood supply and drainage. In addition, respiration of pure oxygen should increase the radiosensitivity of tumours with peripheral vascular pattern more than that of tumours with central blood supply.