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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Lack of Association Between Tumor Oxygenation and Cell Cycle Distribution or Proliferation Kinetics in Experimental Sarcomas

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description

In tumor cells, pronounced hypoxia induces an arrest of cell cycle in the late G1phase1−3. Since hypoxia is a common phenomenon in experimental and human tumors the hypoxia-induced disturbance of the cell cycle may play a role in the reduced efficacy of non-surgical treatment modalities resulting in a reduced long-term prognosis and a higher rate of local recurrences in hypoxic tumors4,5. It has been shown that a cell cycle arrest reduces the efficacy of standard radiotherapy6,7 and may alter the cytotoxic effects of various chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin, alkylating agents, doxorubicin or taxols8−12 and of cytokines13. If tumor hypoxia plays a relevant role in affecting the cell cycle under in vivo conditions, then modulation of the oxygenations status (e.g., by breathing hyperoxic gases) may increase the efficacy of these treatments.