Successful Treatment of an Angiogenic Disease

A hypothesis was proposed in the Journal in 1971 that the growth of tumors depends on angiogenesis.1 This concept is now widely accepted because of supporting data from experimental studies and clinical observations carried out over the intervening years.2 These studies led to the discovery of angiogenic polypeptides, the elucidation of their complete amino acid sequences, and the cloning of their genes.2 The angiogenic proteins range in molecular weight from 5500 to 45,000 and can be classified according to their effects on vascular endothelium. Some, such as platelet-derived endothelial-cell growth factor (PD-ECGF),3 are mitogenic, chemotactic, or both in a manner . . .