Vascular normalization as a therapeutic strategy for malignant and nonmalignant disease

S Goel, AHK Wong, RK Jain - Cold Spring …, 2012 - perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org
S Goel, AHK Wong, RK Jain
Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine, 2012perspectivesinmedicine.cshlp.org
Pathological angiogenesis—driven by an imbalance of pro-and antiangiogenic signaling—
is a hallmark of many diseases, both malignant and benign. Unlike in the healthy adult in
which angiogenesis is tightly regulated, such diseases are characterized by uncontrolled
new vessel formation, resulting in a microvascular network characterized by vessel
immaturity, with profound structural and functional abnormalities. The consequence of these
abnormalities is further modification of the microenvironment, often serving to fuel disease …
Pathological angiogenesis—driven by an imbalance of pro- and antiangiogenic signaling—is a hallmark of many diseases, both malignant and benign. Unlike in the healthy adult in which angiogenesis is tightly regulated, such diseases are characterized by uncontrolled new vessel formation, resulting in a microvascular network characterized by vessel immaturity, with profound structural and functional abnormalities. The consequence of these abnormalities is further modification of the microenvironment, often serving to fuel disease progression and attenuate response to conventional therapies. In this article, we present the “vascular normalization” hypothesis, which states that antiangiogenic therapy, by restoring the balance between pro- and antiangiogenic signaling, can induce a more structurally and functionally normal vasculature in a variety of diseases. We present the preclinical and clinical evidence supporting this concept and discuss how it has contributed to successful treatment of both solid tumors and several benign conditions.
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