Extracellular pH distribution in human tumours

TLDR

The study aimed to assess how extracellular pH relates to tumour histology and volume. Extracellular pH was measured with needle microelectrodes in 67 tumour nodules from 58 patients, whose tumours varied in location, size, and histology. Tumour pHe ranged from 5.66 to 7.78, differed significantly across histological types, and increased with tumour volume, indicating that histology and size are key determinants of extracellular acidity.

Abstract

Extracellular pH (pHe) was determined by needle microelectrodes in 67 tumour nodules in 58 patients. The objective was to evaluate the relationship between pHe, tumour histology and tumour volume. The mean age of the patients was 62 years, mean depth of the lesions was 2·7 ± 0·2 cm, and mean tumour volume was 187 ± 60 cm3. Lesions were located in readily accessible areas such as on the limbs, neck or chest wall. Tumour histologies included: 48% adenocarcinoma; 34% squamous cell carcinoma; 8% soft tissue sarcoma; and 10% malignant melanoma. The mean tumour pHe for the entire group of tumours was 7·06 ± 0·05 (range 5·66–7·78). Variation in pHe measurements between tumours was greater than the variation in measurements within tumour (F=7·11, p<0·01). In adenocarcinomas pHe was 6·93 ± 0·08 (range 5·66–7·78), in soft tissue sarcomas 7·01 ± 0·21 (6·25–7·45), in squamous cell carcinomas 7·16±0·08 (6·2–7·6), and in malignant melanomas 7·36±0·1 (6·98–7·77). Tumour pHe was significantly different between the four histological groups (p<0·001). When adenocarcinoma and soft tissue sarcoma lesions were grouped together, pHe was 6·94±0·08 compared with 7·20±0·07 in squamous cell carcinomas and malignant melanomas lesions (p<0·01). Tumour pHe increased as a function of the logarithm of tumour volume at 0·07±0·02 pH unit/In cm3 (p=0·006, r=0·34). In conclusion, tumour histology and tumour volume were the most important factors determining the range of pHe's. These observations correlated with previous findings that adenocarcinoma and soft tissue sarcoma were more responsive to thermoradiotherapy than squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma.