title: Optical imaging and tumor angiogenesis.
abstract: Tumor angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and progression. Therefore, targeting tumor blood vessels is a promising approach for cancer therapy. Angiogenesis, the formation of blood vessels, is a multistep process, and strongly influenced by the microenvironment. There are no in vitro assays that can resemble this dynamic process in vivo. For this reason, animal models and imaging technologies are critical for studying tumor angiogenesis, identifying therapeutic targets as well as validating the targets. Non-invasive molecular imaging in animal models presents an unprecedented opportunity and ability for us to perform repetitive observations and analysis of the biological processes underlying tumor angiogenesis and tumor progression in living animals in real time. As we gain a better understanding of the fundamental molecular nature of cancer, these techniques will be an important adjunct in translating the knowledge into clinical practice. This important information may elucidate how the tumor blood vessels behave and respond to certain treatments and therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA. charles.lin@vanderbuilt.edu
authors.forename: Pengnain Charles
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents