Hypoxia and prognosis: the oxygen tension mounts

Abstract

Hypoxia has been the subject of research within the radiotherapy community for many years. Until relatively recently, reliable methods to measure hypoxia were unavailable. However since the 1990's, a series of different methodologies have been developed which have allowed large-scale studies of the prognostic significance of this tumor-associated process. Within the same time-frame biological knowledge concerning hypoxia has dramatically increased and a paradigm shift has taken place in current thinking concerning the role of hypoxia not only in treatment resistance but also as a driving force in malignant progression and continued tumor growth. This review discusses the current view of hypoxia, the methods available to measure hypoxia and the prognostic information that has been attained.