Antiangiogenic therapy and surgical practice.
BACKGROUND
Antiangiogenic therapy has become a reality with the recent introduction of bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor.


METHODS
Relevant medical literature from PubMed, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and National Institutes of Health websites to August 2007 was reviewed.


CONCLUSIONS
Although often described as the fourth modality of treatment after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, many antiangiogenic drugs have failed to live up to expectations. Nevertheless, research continues and there are reasons to believe that antiangiogenic therapy may yet have a future in the clinical setting.
John
A R
AR
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK. arj483@bham.ac.uk
Bramhall
S R
SR
Eggo
M C
MC
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor