Blood flow and oxygenation status of human tumors. Clinical investigations.

There is a large body of evidence suggesting that blood flow and oxygenation of human tumors are important research topics which may explain, in particular, resistance to radiation and to many antineoplastic drugs, which can limit the curability of solid tumors by radiotherapy and chemotherapy.This manuscript reviews the clinical investigations which have been performed regarding blood flow and oxygenation status of human tumors in radiation oncology.The possible uses and limitations of the prognostic significance and the changes under therapy measuring blood flow and oxygenation in human tumors were discussed. In addition, several approaches were summarized, which can improve the microvasc…