Spontaneous photon emission and delayed luminescence of two types of human lung cancer tissues: adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

Cancer Lett. 2005 Nov 18;229(2):283-9. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2005.04.038. Epub 2005 Aug 18.

Abstract

We measured spontaneous photon emission and delayed luminescence from human cancerous lung tissue and compared with those from adjacent normal lung tissue. For the detection of extremely weak photon emission from tissue we used a sensitive photomultiplier tube attached to a dark chamber. The samples were illuminated with a metal halide lamp for measurement of delayed luminescence. Extracted samples from surgery were measured within an hour. We found that the delayed luminescence showed salient aspects in making discrimination between tumor and adjacent normal tissue. Squamous cell carcinoma had more prominent character in delayed luminescence than adenocarcinoma.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / chemistry*
  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / chemistry*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Luminescence*
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Lung Neoplasms / chemistry*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Photons*