title: Schizophrenia and cancer: is angiogenesis a missed link?
abstract: Cancer prevalence and risk in schizophrenia (SZ) patients, as well as their implicated molecular pathways, is a debate that has become increasingly appreciated, despite lacking evidence. Since angiogenesis is imbalanced in both conditions, a non-systematic review of the existing literature using the PubMed database was performed to summarize current knowledge and to elucidate hypothesis regarding the reduced incidence of cancer in SZ, exploring possible angiogenesis biology aspects that can be interrelated both with SZ and cancer. Some lines of evidence based in epidemiology, genetic, molecular and biochemical studies suggest a putative interplay between SZ pathophysiology and angiogenesis, involving different molecular pathways and also influencing cancer biology. Studying angiogenesis in SZ and its implications to cancer is an unexplored field that could provide more insightful knowledge regarding its pathophysiology and promote the development of treatment applications.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Clinic of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: rui.lopess@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38-FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: raqsoa@med.up.pt.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: margaridafb@sapo.pt.
authors.forename: Margarida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Figueiredo-Braga
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Centro Hospitalar de São João, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: rmnscoelho@mail.telepac.pt.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coelho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Angiogenesis; Angiogenic factors; Cancer; Dopamine; Epigenetics; Schizophrenia