Twisted blood vessel
Tortuous or twisted arteries and veins are commonly seen in humans and animals. While mild tortuosity is a common anomaly without clinical symptoms, severe tortuosity can lead to various serious symptoms. Clinical observations have linked tortuous arteries and veins to aging, atherosclerosis, hypertension, genetic defects and diabetes mellitus.
Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is a highly invasive brain cancer, with prominent vascular involvement, characterized by twisted blood vessel 1) and infiltration along external vessel walls 2) which makes it resistant to treatment.
1)
Burger PC, Scheithauer BW (2007) Tumors of the Central Nervous System:
AFIP Atlas of Tumor Pathology. Washington DC: American Registry of
Pathology Press, Series 4. pp. 65–66.
2)
Farin A, Suzuki SO, Weiker M, Goldman JE, Bruce JN, et al. (2006)
Transplanted glioma cells migrate and proliferate on host brain vasculature: a
dynamic analysis. Glia 53: 799–808.