Title:Ovarian Cancer - Angiogenesis and Targeted Therapy
Volume: 3
Issue: 4
Author(s): Kristsanamon Rittiluechai, Naiyarat Prasongsuk, Vincent Vinh-Hung and Claire Verschraegen
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Angiogenesis, clinical studies, ovarian cancer.
Abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynecologic
malignancies in developed countries. Despite advances in chemotherapy
leading to improved outcomes in EOC, mortality rates have marginally decreased,
because most patients will develop resistance to standard chemotherapy. New anti-tumor
agents with novel mechanisms of action are needed. Angiogenesis is one of the regulated processes
that are crucial for tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. Preclinical studies demonstrated an effect
of anti-angiogenesis drugs on ovarian cancer models, which led to the development of various
classes of anti-angiogenic drugs against VEGF, platelet derived growth factor (PDGF), angiopoietin,
and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathways. The vascular endothelial growth
factor (VEGF) and its associated receptors have emerged as major therapeutic targets. Bevacizumab,
a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody targeting VEGF, has been studied in randomized
trials and has shown activity in patients with platinum-sensitive and -resistant EOC. This article
will provide an overview of the basic research and translational research mechanisms focusing
on angiogenesis in EOC, review the current clinical trials, and perform a pooled analysis for determining
the impact of anti-angiogenesis on this disease.
