Progress report on the potential of angiogenesis inhibitors for neuro-oncology. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • New therapies for brain tumors are urgently needed. Brain tumors are highly vascularized, supporting the potential of anti-angiogenic therapies in their treatment. The promise of blocking tumor growth through inhibiting new blood vessel formation with anti-angiogenic agents has been heralded as a therapeutic breakthrough, and pre-clinical data supported this enthusiasm. However, early clinical trials in humans have been somewhat disappointing. Nonetheless, great optimism for these agents remains, and many new anti-angiogenic agents and strategies are being evaluated pre-clinically and in clinical trials. A number of issues need to be considered in the application of these agents to neuro-oncology. In this review, we discuss the biology of blood vessel formation in the brain and brain tumors as it relates to anti-angiogenic therapies. The difficulties inherent in performing clinical trials of anti-angiogenic therapies in patients with brain tumors are outlined. Finally, we consider numerous individual antiangiogenic and antivascular therapies now in pre-clinical testing or in clinical trials.

publication date

  • January 1, 2004

Research

keywords

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Brain Neoplasms

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 8644289922

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1081/cnv-200027141

PubMed ID

  • 15565816

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 22

issue

  • 4