[HEV blood vessels in antitumor immunity and cancer immunotherapy]
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 3, 2026

A Novel High-resolution In vivo Imaging Technique to Study the Dynamic Response of Intracranial Structures to Tumor Growth and Therapeutics
Published on: June 16, 2013
Alex Prigent1, Jean-Philippe Girard1
1Univ Toulouse, CNRS, IPBS, Toulouse, France.
Abstract:
HEVs (high endothelial venules) are blood vessels specialized in recruiting lymphocytes to lymph nodes. HEV-like blood vessels can develop in human solid tumors, and their presence is associated with lymphocyte infiltration and improved survival of cancer patients. Recently, the key role of HEVs in the response to cancer immunotherapy has been highlighted, revealing that HEVs serve as major entry portals for lymphocytes into tumors. The therapeutic stimulation of HEVs in tumors could lead to increased efficacy of cancer treatments and improve the clinical outcome for cancer patients.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Tumor Immunotherapy
Mechanism of Angiogenesis
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
The Tumor Microenvironment
