Vascular plasticity in the gastric cancer environment: mechanisms, prognostic significance, and concepts of therapeutic interventions.
7 affiliations
- 1Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Lodz, Poland.
- 2Bio-Med-Chem Doctoral School of the University of Lodz and Lodz Institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences, University of Lodz, Matejki 21/23, 90-237, Lodz, Poland.
- 3GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, Avda. de La Ilustración 114, 18016, Granada, Spain.
- 4Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, 90-151, Lodz, Poland.
- 5Laboratory of Molecular Diagnostics, BRaIn Laboratories, Medical University of Lodz, Czechoslowacka 4, 92-10 216, Lodz, Poland.
- 6Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, 112, 90-363, SienkiewiczaLodz, Poland.
- 7Department of Immunology and Infectious Biology, Institute of Microbiology, Biotechnology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Lodz, Poland. [email protected].
Abstract
Gastric cancer (GC) remains a major global health problem because of its aggressive behavior and frequent development of therapeutic resistance. In GC, as in other malignancies, blood vessels are essential for Tumor-cell survival and dissemination, thereby facilitating metastasis to distant organs. As tumors grow, they remodel the surrounding microenvironment, generating hypoxic, acidic, nutrient-poor conditions with elevated interstitial fluid pressure. Reactive oxygen species further support tumor growth, glycolytic metabolism, and neovascularization. Highly aggressive cancer cells can also form endothelial cell-independent vascular-like networks defined as vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which may facilitate access to oxygen and nutrients. Many molecular markers and mechanisms underlying VM in GC remain insufficiently defined, while the presence of VM is associated with aggressive tumor behavior, metastatic potential, therapeutic resistance, and poor prognosis. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed that complement conventional treatment and target the heterogeneous vascular compartments of GC. Nanomedicine may contribute to this goal by improving targeted drug delivery, local drug concentration, bioavailability, and controlled release while reducing systemic adverse effects.
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BibTeX
@article{chmiela2026vascular,
title = {{Vascular plasticity in the gastric cancer environment: mechanisms, prognostic significance, and concepts of therapeutic interventions.}},
author = {Magdalena Chmiela and Patrycja Jaroniek and Juan Carlos Rodríguez Manzaneque and Ewa Balcerczak and Marek Brzeziński and Agnieszka Jeleń and Saravanan Mani and Agnieszka Wosiak and Weronika Gonciarz},
journal = {Cancer metastasis reviews},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1007/s10555-026-10388-1},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42891752},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Vascular plasticity in the gastric cancer environment: mechanisms, prognostic significance, and concepts of therapeutic interventions.
AU - Magdalena Chmiela
AU - Patrycja Jaroniek
AU - Juan Carlos Rodríguez Manzaneque
AU - Ewa Balcerczak
AU - Marek Brzeziński
AU - Agnieszka Jeleń
AU - Saravanan Mani
AU - Agnieszka Wosiak
AU - Weronika Gonciarz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/17
JO - Cancer metastasis reviews
DO - 10.1007/s10555-026-10388-1
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42891752
AB - Gastric cancer (GC) remains a major global health problem because of its aggressive behavior and frequent development of therapeutic resistance. In GC, as in other malignancies, blood vessels are essential for Tumor-cell survival and dissemination, thereby facilitating metastasis to distant organs. As tumors grow, they remodel the surrounding microenvironment, generating hypoxic, acidic, nutrient-poor conditions with elevated interstitial fluid pressure. Reactive oxygen species further support tumor growth, glycolytic metabolism, and neovascularization. Highly aggressive cancer cells can also form endothelial cell-independent vascular-like networks defined as vasculogenic mimicry (VM), which may facilitate access to oxygen and nutrients. Many molecular markers and mechanisms underlying VM in GC remain insufficiently defined, while the presence of VM is associated with aggressive tumor behavior, metastatic potential, therapeutic resistance, and poor prognosis. Therefore, new therapeutic strategies are needed that complement conventional treatment and target the heterogeneous vascular compartments of GC. Nanomedicine may contribute to this goal by improving targeted drug delivery, local drug concentration, bioavailability, and controlled release while reducing systemic adverse effects.
SN - 0167-7659
SN - 1573-7233
ER -