title: Combinations of vascular endothelial growth factor pathway inhibitors with metronomic chemotherapy: Rational and current status.
abstract: Chemotherapy given in a metronomic manner can be administered with less adverse effects which are common with conventional schedules such as myelotoxicity and gastrointestinal toxicity and thus may be appropriate for older patients and patients with decreased performance status. Efficacy has been observed in several settings. An opportunity to improve the efficacy of metronomic schedules without significantly increasing toxicity presents with the addition of anti-angiogenic targeted treatments. These combinations rational stems from the understanding of the importance of angiogenesis in the mechanism of action of metronomic chemotherapy which may be augmented by specific targeting of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway by antibodies or small tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Combinations of metronomic chemotherapy schedules with VEGF pathway targeting drugs will be discussed in this paper.
authors.affiliation: Antonia Digklia, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Digklia
authors.affiliation: Antonia Digklia, Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital of Lausanne, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Ioannis A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Voutsadakis
keywords: Angiogenesis; Bevacizumab; Metronomic chemotherapy; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor