title: Angiogenesis in spontaneous tumors and implications for comparative tumor biology.
abstract: Blood supply is essential for development and growth of tumors and angiogenesis is the fundamental process of new blood vessel formation from preexisting ones. Angiogenesis is a prognostic indicator for a variety of tumors, and it coincides with increased shedding of neoplastic cells into the circulation and metastasis. Several molecules such as cell surface receptors, growth factors, and enzymes are involved in this process. While antiangiogenic therapy for cancer has been proposed over 20 years ago, it has garnered much controversy in recent years within the scientific community. The complex relationships between the angiogenic signaling cascade and antiangiogenic substances have indicated the angiogenic pathway as a valid target for anticancer drug development and VEGF has become the primary antiangiogenic drug target. This review discusses the basic and clinical perspectives of angiogenesis highlighting the importance of comparative biology in understanding tumor angiogenesis and the integration of these model systems for future drug development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Benazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, Canada S7N 5B4.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Dissi
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Figg
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology and Molecular Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-456 Porto, Portugal ; Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Science, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4200-456 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology and Molecular Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), 4200-456 Porto, Portugal ; Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Science, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4200-456 Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gärtner
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A