title: Aflibercept in lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Angiogenesis, the recruitment and growth of blood vessels, is a process central to the growth of solid tumors. One of the key mediators of angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family of ligands. An antibody to VEGF-A, bevacizumab, has demonstrated a survival benefit in conjunction with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Aflibercept (VEGF Trap) is a recombinant VEGF receptor-antibody protein fusion with higher affinity for VEGF-A than bevacizumab, plus affinity for VEGF-B and placental growth factor (PlGF).
  
  
  METHODS
  This article reviews recent clinical trials investigating the role of aflibercept in the treatment of lung cancer, both published in the literature and those for which preliminary data have been presented at major scientific meetings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aflibercept has proven Phase III efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer, but in lung cancer, large clinical trials have not yielded positive results. There remains hope that identification of biomarkers of response will one day help select patients most likely to benefit from antiangiogenesis therapy.
authors.affiliation: Stanford University/Stanford Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine (Oncology), Stanford, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Joel W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Neal
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Wakelee
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor