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Tumor sinuses - vascular channels

Facts and fictions

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Pathology & Oncology Research

Abstract

The existence of tumor cell-lined sinuses (vascular channels) in various experimental and human cancer is known for almost a half a century described by a Hungarian pathologist, Béla Kellner. Meanwhile, even the existence as well as the pathomechanism and the possible functional significance of these sinuses are heavily challenged in the recent literature. Ultrastructural studies however provide evidence for the presence of tumor cell-lined sinuses in human melanoma and breast cancer. The generation of such sinuses can be suggested in two ways: byde novo formation, when tumor cells recapitulate an embryonic geno-and phenotype by reexpressing endothelial genes or by a secondary mechanism, where the incorporated microvessels degenerate due to the predominant expression of anti-angiogenic factors. Literature data are available for the potential diagnostic and clinical significance of the tumor sinuses (vascular channels) stimulating further studies on this issue.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Tumor Progression, National Institute of Oncology, Ráth Gy. u. 7-9., HI 122, Budapest, Hungary

    József Tímár

  2. 1st Department of Ophthalmology, Semmelweis University, Budapest

    Jeannette Tóth

Authors
  1. József Tímár
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  2. Jeannette Tóth
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Correspondence to József Tímár.

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Tímár, J., Tóth, J. Tumor sinuses - vascular channels. Pathol. Oncol. Res. 6, 83–86 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03032354

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03032354

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