title: Assessing Tumor Angiogenesis in Histological Samples.
abstract: Tumor neovascularization acquires their vessels through a number of processes including angiogenesis, vasculogenesis, vascular remodeling, intussusception, and possibly vascular mimicry in certain tumors. The end result of the tumor vasculature has been quantified by counting the number of immunohistochemically identified microvessels in areas of maximal vascularity, so-called hot spot. Other techniques have been developed such as Chalkley counting and the use of image analysis systems that are robust and reproducible as well as being more objective. Many of the molecular pathways that govern tumor neovascularization have been identified and many reagents are now available to study these tissue sections. These include angiogenic growth factors and their receptors and cell adhesion molecules, proteases, and markers of activated, proliferating, cytokine-stimulated, or angiogenic vessels, such as CD105. It is also possible to differentiate quiescent from active vessels. Other reagents that can identify proteins involved in microenvironmental influences such as hypoxia have also been generated. Although the histological assessment of tumor vascularity is used mostly in the research context, it may also have clinical applications if appropriate methodology and trained observers perform the studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 2 St Andrews Place, Melbourne, 3002, Australia.
authors.forename: Jia-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 2 St Andrews Place, Melbourne, 3002, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jene
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, 2 St Andrews Place, Melbourne, 3002, Australia. stephen.fox@petermac.org.
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D015687:Cell Hypoxia; D006801:Humans; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases
keywords: Angiogenic factors; Chalkley counts; Hypoxia; Microvessel density; Tumor angiogenesis; Vascular grading