Advances in Tumor Microenvironment of Gliomas

In 1978, Schoeld proposed the “microenvironment” hypothesis to describe the physiological microenvironment that supports stem cell growth. The tumor microenvironment, which is the internal environment in which tumor cells arise and live, includes not only the tumor cells themselves but also the surrounding fibroblasts, immune and inflammatory cells, glial cells, as well as the matrix, microvasculature, and cellular molecules that infiltrate the extracellular area. Due to its unique proliferation and development processes, a tumor disrupts the normal internal environment and creates a favorable tissue environment for its growth. This leads to the formation of a tumor microenvironment that is markedly different from the normal tissue environment, featuring characteristics such as hypoxia, acidosis, interstitial hypertension, high levels of growth factors, immune-inflammatory reactions, and protein hydrolases, among others.