Anti-angiogenic therapy is a kind of cancer treatment that using drugs to stop tumor angiogenesis. This is a high potential approach to treat cancer. Today, I will share some of the basic knowledge about this kind of cancer treatment.
What is angiogenesis? Angiogenesis is a multi steps process involving the growth of new blood vessels in our body. This process depends on the regulation of many distinct activities in many cell types. This process plays an essential role in many physiological and pathological conditions.
What is tumor angiogenesis? Tumor angiogenesis is the growth of new capillary blood vessels that penetrate into tumor and supply the nutrients and oxygen as well as removing waste products. The tumors need angiogenesis to grow and evade in our body. The tumor cells can get the necessary oxygen and nutrient supplies by passive diffusion when the tumor angiogenesis occur. Therefore, the anti-angiogenic therapy is a good approach to treat the tumor progression by stopping the tumor angiogenesis.
Anti-angiogenic Therapy is Effective to Treat Cancer
Anti-angiogenic therapy of cancer is a highly effective way for destroying the tumor cells. The tumors cannot grow and survive without angiogenesis. If the anti-angiogenic agents are applied before a tumor develops, it can be considered as a vaccine in preventing the tumor development. Yet, it is not a cure for cancer but just represents the treatment. If we really want to cure the cancer, we need to target the agents and pathways that cause cancer.
Advantages of Anti-angiogenic Therapy
i. Unlike the chemotherapy, anti-angiogenic therapy contains little or no toxic to our body. It is because it does not require the therapeutic drug enter any tumor cells. The therapeutic agent needs not to cross the blood brain barrier.
ii. This treatment regulate the tumor growth regardless the growth fraction, tumor cell heterogeneity and tumor cell type.
iii. This treatment does not induce acquired drug resistance.
iv. As the normal vasculature of an adult is dormant, the specificity of angiogenic inhibitors can be applied. This allows the long-term and nontoxic treatment of tumors to the patients. This is the greatest advantage if compare to the nonspecific modalities of chemotherapy and radiation therapy to treat cancer.
v. Anti-angiogenic agents aim not only DNA synthesis and cell division, but also the biologic feature of tumor cells.
In conclusion, anti-angiongenic therapy has a great potential on treating the cancer and control the progression of tumor cells. Yet, there are some difficulties related to the clinical evaluation of the efficiency of these anti-angiogenic drugs. Sometimes, the therapy might works on the animal model but not in human. The cancer research on this therapy will be carried on to bring its potency into play.
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At present, a variety of clinical studies have already been initiated or are planned that incorporate either antibody therapy targeting the VEGF receptor (VEGFR) or small-molecule inhibitors of VEGFR in the treatment of solid tumors. The findings of Yu et al. could have significant impact on the way these trials are designed and developed as well as on the analysis of the results.
I think that I would recommend this to my sister since she got myoma that could develop into cancer.
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Yes, Palabuzz. You may recommend to your sister. However, not all cancer types is suitable for this therapy. You must consult the specialist before doing any therapy.
realy nice artikel
it’s realy helpfull for those has cancer disease
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At present, a variety of clinical studies have already been initiated or are planned that incorporate either antibody therapy targeting the VEGF receptor (VEGFR) or small-molecule inhibitors of VEGFR in the treatment of solid tumors. The findings of Yu et al. could have significant impact on the way these trials are designed and developed as well as on the analysis of the results.
Yes, you are right. Many studies have been done to use anti-angiogenic therapy to target the VEGF receptor. You seems like know a lot of the anti-angiogenic therapy Michelle. Thanks for your sharing!