Angiogenesis as a target for cancer therapy

The necessity for tumors to create new blood vessels to grow and the restriction of normal angiogenesis in healthy adults to only a few short-lasting situations provide very selective targets for antiangiogenic cancer therapies. In contrast to the neoplastic cells in their vicinity, vascular endothelial cells are genetically stable and less likely to develop resistance to therapy. Moreover, every cancer type is virtually a unique disease and requires tailored therapy, but agents targeting the tumor endothelium, a relatively uniform and normal cell type, might be effective against a broad range of tumor types. This article reviews the biology of angiogenesis and some of the most common agents used to inhibit this process.