The role of vascular cell integrins αvß3 and αvß5 in angiogenesis

Six hundred thousand new cases of lung, colon, breast and prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year, accounting for 75% of new solid tumor cancers and 77% of solid tumor cancer deaths (Fraumeni et al, 1993). Although advances in therapy and in our understanding of cancer causes and risk factors have led to improved outcomes overall, many cancers will have low five year survival rates. Despite these advances in primary tumor management, 50% of patients will ultimately die of their disease, largely due to the metastatic spread of tumors to numerous or inoperable sites through the tumor-associated vasculature (Fraumeni et al., 1992; Weinstat-Saslow, 1994). It is now known that the growth and spread of solid tumor cancer depends on the development of a tumor-associated vasculature by a process known as angiogenesis.