Physiological Modulation of Tumor Oxygenation (null)

“Physiological modulation of tumor oxygenation” refers to approaches that alter the oxygen levels within tumor tissue to affect cancer progression and response to therapy. Tumor hypoxia promotes resistance to radiotherapy and some drugs, drives malignant phenotypes, and correlates with poor prognosis. Strategies for modulating tumor oxygenation include use of hyperthermia, increasing perfusion, using hyperoxic breathing mixtures, or normalization of blood vessels. This improves radiosensitivity, can reduce metastatic potential, and may facilitate drug delivery and immune infiltration. Molecular pathways influenced by oxygen modulation include HIF signaling, metabolic regulation, and angiogenic cascades. However, this target does not represent a discrete molecular entity but rather a physiological process exploited for therapeutic benefit.

Other names

Tumor oxygenation modulationModulation of tumor hypoxiaOxygen microenvironment manipulation

Physiological modulation of tumor oxygenation mechanisms include increasing tumor oxygenation to enhance radiosensitivity; modulating blood flow and perfusion to reduce hypoxia; altering metabolic pathways to promote oxidative metabolism; indirectly inhibiting hypoxia-inducible signaling pathways; and normalizing tumor vasculature to enhance oxygen delivery.