title: Diagnostic and therapeutic implications of the vascular endothelial growth factor family in cancer.
abstract: Cancer progression is attained by uncontrolled cell division and metastasis. Increase in tumor size triggers different vascular channel formation to address cell nutritional demands. These channels are responsible for transferring of nutrients and gaseous to the cancer cells. Cancer vascularization is regulated by numerous factors including vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs). These factors play an important role during embryonic development. Members included in this group are VEGFA, VEGFB, VEGFC, PIGF and VEGFD which markedly influence cellular growth and apoptosis. Being freely diffusible these proteins act in both autocrine and paracrine fashions. In this review, genetic characterization these molecules and their putative role in cancer staging has been elaborated. Prognostic significance of these molecules along with different stages of cancer has also been summarized. Brief outline of ongoing efforts to target hot spot target sites against these VEGFs and their cognate limitations for therapeutic implications are also highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan E-mail : famalik@comsats.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Syeda Kiran
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Riaz
authors.forename: Yasmeen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: Muhammad Faraz Arshad
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Malik
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D007211:Indoles; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D000068258:Bevacizumab; C116890:Semaxinib; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor