title: Confocal laser endomicroscopy and immunoendoscopy for real-time assessment of vascularization in gastrointestinal malignancies.
abstract: Gastrointestinal cancers represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with incomplete response to chemotherapy in the advanced stages and poor prognosis. Angiogenesis plays a crucial part in tumor growth and metastasis, with most gastrointestinal cancers depending strictly on the development of a new and devoted capillary network. Confocal laser endomicroscopy is a new technology which allows in vivo microscopic analysis of the gastrointestinal mucosa and its microvascularization during ongoing endoscopy by using topically or systemically administered contrast agents. Targeting markers of angiogenesis in association with confocal laser endomicroscopic examination (immunoendoscopy), as a future challenge, will add functional analysis to the morphological aspect of the neoplastic process. This review describes previous experience in endomicroscopic examination of the upper and lower digestive tract with emphasis on vascularization, resulting in a broad spectrum of potential clinical applications, and also preclinical research that could be translated to human studies.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Craiova, Craiova 200349, Romania. digheonea@gmail.com
authors.forename: Dan Ionuţ
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Gheonea
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cârţână
authors.forename: Tudorel
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ciurea
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.forename: Anca
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bădărău
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Săftoiu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003287:Contrast Media; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007834:Lasers; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media