Specific heat capacities c, of different healthy and tumorous tissues (liver, lung, prostate) were measured using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The obtained values range from 3.6 to 3.9 kJ kg(-1) K-1. The influence of thermal coagulation of 100 degrees C and of cooling with liquid nitrogen on the tissue and its specific heat capacity was investigated using animal tissues. Owing to desiccation during freezing, the specific heat of the tissue decreased by about 2%.