MICROVASCULAR CORROSION CASTING IN THE STUDY OF TUMOR VASCULARITY - AREVIEW

Tumor blood flow is dependent on the structure and three-dimensional ( 3-D) architecture of the vascular network. The latter can be best stud ied by scanning electron microscopy of microvascular corrosion casts. However, literature reviews show that nearly all studies using this te chnique render comparisons of different tumors more difficult since th ey are mainly based on descriptive terms that might lead to misunderst andings. Qualitative comparisons of 13 experimental and 3 human primar y tumors of different origin show a high degree of similarity in the v asculature. Quantitative analysis of these casts reveals similar range s of parameters such as diameters, intervascular and interbranching di stances. Diameters of vessels with capillary wall structure range from 6 mu m to 55 mu m in the human primary tumors (renal clear cell carci noma, basalioma), and from 5 mu m to 80 mu m in xenografted tumors (sa rcomas, colon carcinoma). Intervascular distances in the human primary tumors range from 2 mu m to 52 mu m, and from 11 mu m to 105 mu m in the xenografts. Interbranching distances range from 34 mu m to 258 mu m in the former, and from 11 mu m to 160 mu m in the latter. Both qual itative and quantitative analyses of tumor microvascular corrosion cas ts enable pathophysiological conclusions to be drawn and contribute to a better understanding of tumor vascularity.