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Review
. 2017 Sep 14;18(9):1967.
doi: 10.3390/ijms18091967.

Biological Pathways Involved in Tumor Angiogenesis and Bevacizumab Based Anti-Angiogenic Therapy with Special References to Ovarian Cancer

Vera Loizzi  1 , Vittoria Del Vecchio  2 , Giulio Gargano  3 , Maria De Liso  4 , Anila Kardashi  5 , Emanuele Naglieri  6 , Leonardo Resta  7 , Ettore Cicinelli  8 , Gennaro Cormio  9   10
Affiliations
Review

Biological Pathways Involved in Tumor Angiogenesis and Bevacizumab Based Anti-Angiogenic Therapy with Special References to Ovarian Cancer

Vera Loizzi et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

The creation of new blood vessels from existing ones, which is a mechanism called "angiogenesis", is essential in cancer to supply cancerous growth. Moreover, the development and the progression of the tumor and its metastases are the result of an efficient vascular response. Cancer cells release and activate different angiogenic growth factors and their receptors in the tumor microenvironment to promote the angiogenic process. The most important pro-angiogenic factor is the "Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor" (VEGF) because of its mitogen activity on vascular endothelium. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that obstructs the binding of circulating vascular endothelial growth factor to its receptors and has been approved for the treatment of primary and recurrent ovarian cancer but also for many other solid tumors.

Keywords: VEGF; angiogenesis; ovarian cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a–e) Angiogenic “switch” from dormant cells to tumor vasculature. Adapted from Bergers, G. Benjamin, L.E. Nat. Rev. Cancer 2003, 3, 401. Copyright 2003 Nature Publishing Group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a–c) Tumor expansion induced by the sprouting of blood vessels. From small tumor (a), sprouting capillary (b) to growing tumor (c). Adapted from Garrel, D.; Augstburger, R.; Townsend Lett. Dr. Patients 2004, 246, 74–79. Copyright 2004 Townsend Letter.
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