Haemodynamics and Oxygenation of the Tumour Microcirculation

Abstract

Abnormalities of the tumour vasculature and their consequences on the microenvironment of tumour cells impact on tumour progression and response to both blood-borne anti-cancer agents and radio-therapy, as well as making tumour blood vessels a target for therapy in their own right. Intravital microscopy of experimental tumours, most commonly grown in ‘window’ chambers, such as the dorsal skin fold chamber in mice and rats, enables investigations of tumour microcirculatory function. This is needed both to understand the molecular control of tumour vascular function and to measure the response of the vasculature to treatment. In particular, intravital microscopy enables parameters associated with blood supply, vascular permeability and oxygenation to be estimated, at high spatial and temporal resolution. In this chapter, methods used for measuring a range of these parameters, specific examples of their applications, the significance of findings and some of the limitations of the techniques are described.