Diagnostic and therapeutic applications of angiogenesis research

Certain principles of the angiogenic process elucidated in the laboratory over the past 3 decades have now been translated to clinical application. These applications are in the areas of prognosis, inhibition of angiogenesis, and acceleration of angiogenesis. As more experience is gained from these studies we may begin to see the development of therapies for many other angiogenic diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. It may be possible to increase the rate of neovascularization of a myocardial infarction and perhaps even to stimulate the growth of coronary collateral vessels. From these laboratory and clinical studies it has become clear that angiogenesis is a fundamental process that dominates diseases in many different branches of medicine and surgery. A clear understanding of the biological and molecular aspects of this process will be critical to the successful treatment of a wide spectrum of "angiogenic diseases" [53].