Direct evidence that the VEGF-specific antibody bevacizumab has antivascular effects in human rectal cancer.
The effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) blockade on the vascular biology of human tumors are not known. Here we show here that a single infusion of the VEGF-specific antibody bevacizumab decreases tumor perfusion, vascular volume, microvascular density, interstitial fluid pressure and the number of viable, circulating endothelial and progenitor cells, and increases the fraction of vessels with pericyte coverage in rectal carcinoma patients. These data indicate that VEGF blockade has a direct and rapid antivascular effect in human tumors.
Willett
Christopher G
CG
Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA. cwillett@partners.org
Boucher
Yves
Y
di Tomaso
Emmanuelle
E
Duda
Dan G
DG
Munn
Lance L
LL
Tong
Ricky T
RT
Chung
Daniel C
DC
Sahani
Dushyant V
DV
Kalva
Sanjeeva P
SP
Kozin
Sergey V
SV
Mino
Mari
M
Cohen
Kenneth S
KS
Scadden
David T
DT
Hartford
Alan C
AC
Fischman
Alan J
AJ
Clark
Jeffrey W
JW
Ryan
David P
DP
Zhu
Andrew X
AX
Blaszkowsky
Lawrence S
LS
Chen
Helen X
HX
Shellito
Paul C
PC
Lauwers
Gregory Y
GY
Jain
Rakesh K
RK
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D006801:Humans; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab