Analysis of cerebral angiogenesis in human glioblastomas

The formation of new blood vessels is a major hallmark in the process of malignant transformation in human glioblastomas. In diffusely infiltrating gliomas, enhanced angiogenesis is associated with decreased patient survival rates and therefore serves as a central diagnostic criterion according to the WHO (World Health Organization) classification of tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). However, the assessment of what a newly built blood vessel really is and how the extent of glioma-associated angiogenesis can be estimated in vivo is often a highly subjective procedure with imprecise criteria depending on the experience of the neuropathologist. The increased interest in translational medicine and anti-angiogenic treatment strategies implies that basic researchers in glioma angiogenesis are frequently asked to validate their findings in patient material to provide evidence for potential clinical relevance of their results. Therefore, more precise methods and measurement techniques are needed to objectively measure the extent of angiogenesis in human glioblastoma samples. The present synopsis provides an overview about morphological methods to assess the formation of new blood vessels by quantitative imaging using histological and immunohistochemical marker profiles.