Physiological properties of malignant tumours.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cancer Biology
• Medical Physics

Background:

• The tumor microenvironment, encompassing microcirculation, oxygen, nutrient supply, pH, and bioenergetics, critically influences cancer treatment response.
• These factors are interconnected and collectively define the metabolic milieu within tumors.
• Understanding these parameters is crucial for predicting therapeutic efficacy and tumor cell proliferation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present current information on the parameters defining the metabolic micromilieu in human tumors.
• To highlight the variability of these factors within and between individual tumors.
• To propose the evaluation of individual tumor metabolic microenvironments for personalized treatment strategies.

Main Methods:

• Review of currently available information on human tumor metabolic micromilieu parameters.
• Analysis of data on variations in blood flow, oxygen and nutrient supply, tissue pH, and bioenergetic status.
• Synthesis of findings regarding inter- and intra-tumoral heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• Significant variations exist in metabolic microenvironment parameters across different locations within a single tumor.
• Considerable differences are observed even between tumors of the same grading and clinical staging.
• These findings underscore the heterogeneity of the tumor metabolic landscape.

Conclusions:

• The metabolic microenvironment of individual tumors is highly variable.
• Evaluating these parameters before treatment is essential for personalized medicine.
• Tailoring treatment protocols based on individual tumor metabolic profiles may enhance therapeutic response and improve patient outcomes.