Gene therapy and control of angiogenesis

The technology of gene therapy may be one step ahead of the present understanding of angiogenesis. The results of studies to modulate angiogenesis have been encouraging, however, and several of these studies are in the preclinical and clinical phases of testing. It is likely, therefore, that gene therapy for such diseases as diabetes mellitus and age-related macular degeneration will soon become a practical reality. It must be hoped that the lessons learned will be beneficial to others attempting to modulate angiogenesis in systemic disorders such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.