Blood vessels differ from one part of a brain tumor to another
Original title: Spatial vascular/BTB remodeling and malignant-state plasticity in glioblastoma
How far along is this research?
This is a preprint. Other scientists have not checked it yet, so treat it as an early signal rather than an answer.
This was lab work on donated tumor tissue, not a treatment tested in people.
The short version
Scientists mapped how blood vessels change across different parts of glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary tumors.
What was studied. Researchers studied 38 tumor tissue slices from 6 donors with glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. They looked at which genes were switched on in each part of the tissue, and took a closer look at the cells that line blood vessels.
What they found. Blood vessels were not the same across the whole tumor. Different areas showed different vessel patterns. In 12 of 12 donors, changed vessel cells showed more of a marker called PLVAP. Another marker, MFSD2A, was lower in 10 of 12 donors.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This is a map of the tumor, not a treatment. It may help scientists understand how tumors reshape blood vessels. Over time, that could guide work on getting drugs into tumors.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean there is a new treatment. The work was done on donated tumor tissue, not in a trial with patients. The authors say plainly that it does not show drugs can reach the tumor better. It is not a promise of a cure. This is early science, and it is far from everyday care.
Source: bioRxiv (preprint), August 22, 2026 · Read the original
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