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Off-tumor target—beneficial site for antiangiogenic cancer therapy?

Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology volume 7, pages 604–608 (2010)Cite this article

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Abstract

Antiangiogenic cancer therapy is based on agents that target blood vessels of the tumor to inhibit its growth. However, experience from the clinic demonstrates that survival benefits following antiangiogenic therapy do not always correlate with tumor size and growth inhibition. Emerging evidence shows that delivery of antiangiogenic drugs might induce systemic alterations of the vasculature that modulate the function of various tissues and organs. Normalization of tissues and organs by antiangiogenic therapy may be an important mechanism underlying the survival benefits seen in patients with cancer who suffer cancer-associated systemic syndromes. This new concept has been validated in preclinical tumor models, and responses in patients have positively correlated with clinical benefits.

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Figure 1: Local and systemic impact of angiogenic factors and antiangiogenic drugs.
Figure 2: Potential mechanisms of survival improvements by antiangiogenic drugs.

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Acknowledgements

The author's laboratory is supported by research grants from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Foundation, the Karolinska Institute Foundation, the Karolinska Institute Distinguished Professor Award, the European Union Integrated Project of Metoxia (project number 222741), and the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant ANGIOFAT (project number 250021).

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  1. Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Nobelsväg 16, Solna Campus, Box 280, Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden

    Yihai Cao

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Y. Cao is on the Board of Directors at Clanotech.

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Cao, Y. Off-tumor target—beneficial site for antiangiogenic cancer therapy?. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 7, 604–608 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2010.118

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