Tumors' Shield: How Collagen Boosts Blood Vessel Growth

Researchers have discovered that collagen, a protein found in tumors, plays a major role in helping cancer cells grow new blood vessels. This finding is important because it could change how we treat certain types of cancer. In the past, scientists grouped solid tumors based on how much collagen and immune cells they had. They found a tough type, called "armored & cold" tumors, which have lots of collagen and few immune cells. These tumors are hard to treat. The study looked at different cancers and found that "armored & cold" tumors, especially in lung cancer, grew the most new blood vessels. By studying cells under a microscope, they saw that collagen made tumor cells produce a chemical called VEGFA. This chemical helps blood vessels grow and multiply. When they stopped collagen in lab tests, they saw less blood vessel growth. Interestingly, these tough tumors respond well to treatments that stop new blood vessels from forming. This could be a way to tell if a cancer will respond well to these treatments. Overall, understanding how collagen helps tumors grow new blood vessels could lead to better treatments that combine chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic drugs.