Angiogenesis and Anti-Angiogenic Treatments

Blood vessels in our body is developed by vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. There have been new advances in molecular pathology and tumor biology areas in recent years. Angiogenesis is modulated by the balance between angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors. Angiogenesis plays a key role in tumor growth. Drugs inhibiting angiogenesis have been in use in various malign or non-malign diseases. Inhibition of angiogenesis in malign diseases is a very attractive subject in medicine and studies are going on about long term affects and toxicities. Inhibition of angiogenesis is not an only treatment choice alone. It is a supplemental treatment option applied with conventional chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, immunotherapy and hormonal therapy. It has been used in colorectal carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma, heoatocellular carcinoma, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, tyroid medullary cancer.