Effects of radiation on tumor vasculature

Radiation has been utilized as a direct cytotoxic tumorcidal modality, however, the effect of radiation on tumor vasculature influences response to anticancer therapies. Although numerous reports have demonstrated vascular changes in irradiated tumors, the findings and implications are extensive and at times contradictory depending on the radiation dose, timing, and models used. In this review, we focus on the radiation-mediated effects on tumor vasculature with respect to doses used, timing postradiation, vasculogenesis, adhesion molecule expression, permeability, and pericyte coverage, including the latest findings.