Hypoxia Mediates Tumor Malignancy and Therapy Resistance.

Hypoxia is a hallmark of the tumor microenvironment and contributes to tumor malignant phenotypes. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is a master regulator of intratumoral hypoxia and controls hypoxia-mediated pathological processes in tumors, including angiogenesis, metabolic reprogramming, epigenetic reprogramming, immune evasion, pH homeostasis, cell migration/invasion, stem cell pluripotency, and therapy resistance. In this book chapter, we reviewed the causes and types of intratumoral hypoxia, hypoxia detection methods, and the oncogenic role of HIF in tumorigenesis and chemo- and radio-therapy resistance.