Tumor vasculature and tumor microenvironment (TME)

The tumor microenvironment (TME) and its associated vasculature constitute the complex cellular and non-cellular ecosystem surrounding a tumor, including blood vessels, immune cells, fibroblasts, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) [PMID: 32518338]. Tumor vasculature is characteristically disorganized, leaky, and inefficient, which creates a hypoxic and acidic environment that promotes tumor progression and hinders the delivery of therapeutic agents [PMID: 28101071]. The TME serves as a critical regulator of cancer cell survival, local invasion, and metastatic spread by facilitating immune evasion through the recruitment of immunosuppressive cells like myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs) [PMID: 30108304]. Therapeutic interventions targeting the TME often focus on inhibiting angiogenesis via the VEGF pathway or modulating immune responses through checkpoint inhibitors like PD-1/PD-L1 blockers [PMID: 29242601]. Understanding the dynamic interactions within the TME is essential for developing combination therapies that can overcome resistance and improve clinical outcomes in various solid tumors [PMID: 31930972].

Other names

Tumor microenvironmentTumor stromaTumor nichePeritumoral environmentNeovasculature

Inhibition of pro-angiogenic signaling (e.g., VEGF/VEGFR blockade), immune checkpoint inhibition (e.g., PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 blockade), normalization of tumor vasculature to improve drug delivery, and modulation of the immunosuppressive stroma [PMID: 28101071, 29242601].