ScienceDaily (Feb. 21, 2008) — Manipulating levels of nitric oxide (NO), a gas involved in many biological processes, may improve the disorganized network of blood vessels supplying tumors, potentially improving the effectiveness of radiation and chemotherapy. In an upcoming issue of the journal Nature Medicine, researchers from the Steele Laboratory of Radiation Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) report an experiment in which NO production was selectively suppressed in tumor cells while being maintained in blood vessels. The result was a significant improvement in the appearance and function of the tumor’s blood supply.
