REVIEW ARTICLE Mechanisms and Future Direct ions for Angiogenes is-Based Cancer Therapies

Abstract: Targeting angiogenesis represents a new strategy for the development of anticancer therapies. New targets derived from proliferating endothelial cells may be useful in developing anticancer drugs that prolong or stabilize the progression of tumors with minimal systemic toxicities. These drugs may also be used as novel imaging and radiommunotherapeutic agents in cancer therapy. In this review, the mecha-nisms and control of angiogenesis are discussed. Ge-netic and proteomic approaches to defining new poten-tial targets on tumor vasculature are then summarized, followed by discussion of possible antiangiogenic treat-ments that may be derived from these targets and current clinical trials. Such strategies involve the use of endogenous antiangiogenic agents, chemotherapy, gene therapy, antiangiogenic radioligands, immuno-therapy, and endothelial cell-based therapies. The po-tential biologic end points, toxicities, and resistance mechanisms to antiangiogenic agents must be consid-ered as these therapies enter clinical trials