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Antiangiogenic strategies and agents in clinical trials
1University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 10945, USA. LSROSEN@mednet.ucla.edu
Abstract:
The understanding that the growth of tumors depends on the acquisition of a blood supply has led to the development of new therapies for cancer and other angiogenic diseases based on inhibition of neovascularization. This review examines the role of angiogenesis in cancer progression and describes various strategies for interfering with this process. The developmental status of angiogenesis inhibitors in human clinical trials is presented, including their proposed mechanisms of action. Standard chemotherapeutic agents and angiogenesis inhibitors are compared, noting that different end points might need to be considered in clinical trials and that drug resistance may be less of a problem with antiangiogenic therapy than with conventional chemotherapy regimens. The suggestion is made that cytotoxic chemotherapy and angiogenesis inhibitors used in combination may produce complementary therapeutic benefits in the treatment of cancer.
Insights
Tumor growth relies on new blood vessels. This review explores anti-angiogenesis therapies that inhibit this process, offering potential advantages over traditional chemotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Tumor growth and metastasis are dependent on the formation of new blood vessels (neovascularization).
- Inhibition of neovascularization is a therapeutic strategy for cancer and other angiogenic diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of angiogenesis in cancer progression.
- To describe strategies for inhibiting angiogenesis.
- To present the status of angiogenesis inhibitors in clinical trials.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on angiogenesis and cancer.
- Analysis of clinical trial data for angiogenesis inhibitors.
- Comparison of anti-angiogenic therapy with conventional chemotherapy.
Main Results:
- Various strategies exist to interfere with tumor angiogenesis.
- Angiogenesis inhibitors are in different stages of human clinical trials.
- Anti-angiogenic therapy may face less drug resistance than conventional chemotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Combination therapy with cytotoxic chemotherapy and angiogenesis inhibitors may offer complementary benefits.
- Different clinical endpoints may be necessary for evaluating anti-angiogenic therapies.
- Inhibiting tumor blood supply is a promising therapeutic avenue.