Cancer cells compress intratumour vessels

摘要

The delivery of therapeutic drugs to solid tumours may be impaired by structural and functional abnormalities in blood and lymphatic vessels. Here we provide evidence that proliferating cancer cells cause intratumour vessels to compress and collapse. By reducing this compressive mechanical force and opening vessels, cytotoxic cancer treatments have the potential to increase blood perfusion, thereby improving drug delivery. Elevated interstitial fluid pressure - a hallmark of solid tumours - is commonly assumed to compress intratumour vessels. However, the interstitial fluid pressure is about equal to the microvascular pressure in tumours, making it unlikely that the collapse of permeable vessels is mediated by fluid pressure. We therefore investigated whether proliferating cancer cells might cause compression of tumour vessels and, if so, whether relieving this compression would allow them to open and regain their functionality.