title: Clinical experience with bevacizumab in colorectal cancer.
abstract: Angiogenesis, the process of generating new capillary blood vessels, is a fundamental requirement for normal physiological processes including embryogenesis, reproductive function and wound healing. Angiogenesis is also implicated in various pathological conditions including age-related retinal macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and cancer growth and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the best characterized of the pro-angiogenic growth factors, and multiple strategies have been developed to inhibit this pathway. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody developed against VEGF, has shown initial preclinical and clinical activity. This review discusses the critical role of VEGF and summarizes the available data on the use of bevacizumab in colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital A. Fiorini, Terracina, Italy. nellosalesi@libero.it
authors.forename: Nello
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salesi
authors.forename: Giandominik
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bossone
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Veltri
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Di Cocco
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marolla
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Pacetti
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Larosa
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muni
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vecchione
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive / Q000379:methods; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000628:therapy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab