title: Role of angiogenesis in urothelial bladder carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bladder cancer is the most common urinary tract malignancy in western countries. In recent years, extensive research has suggested that angiogenesis plays an important role in bladder cancer biology, contributing to tumor growth and progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review, we discuss general mechanisms of angiogenesis and highlight the influence of pro- and anti-angiogenic factors, and cancer stem cells on bladder cancer biology, their relation to disease progression, and potential use in novel targeted therapies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of a number of proangiogenic factors, including HIF-1, VEGF, bFGF, IL-8 and MMPs, as well as anti-angiogenic factor TSP-1, was found to be altered in bladder tumors. Involvement of cancer stem cells in bladder cancer development was also proposed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High expression of most pro-angiogenic factors correlated with disease progression and shorter patient survival, but discrepancies between studies urge us to continue evaluating the significance of angiogenesis in bladder cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz Piotr
authors.initials: ŁP
authors.lastname: Fus
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Górnicka
keywords: angiogenesis; angiogenic factors; biomarkers; bladder cancer; cancer stem cells; urothelial carcinoma