Chemotherapy and the tumor microenvironment: the contribution of circulating endothelial cells.
Anti-angiogenic drugs, alone or in combination with chemotherapeutics, are increasingly used by medical oncologists. In many cases, however, their mechanism of action and the tailoring of optimal dosage/schedule are still elusive. Circulating endothelial cell (CEC) and progenitor (CEP) number and viability are modulated in a large series of diseases including cancer, and look promising as surrogate biomarkers for the definition of the optimal biological dose of anti-angiogenic drugs and for patients' stratification. Along with CECs and CEPs, potential EC- and CEP-related surrogate molecular markers such as VE-Cadherin and CD133 are currently under preclinical and clinical investigation.
Bertolini
Francesco
F
Department of Medicine, European Institute of Oncology, via Ripamonti 435, 20141, Milan, Italy. francesco.bertolini@ieo.it
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000188:drug therapy; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents