Antiangiogenic and radiotherapy for cancer treatment
H. Kobayashi1 and P.C. Lin1,2,3
Department of 1Radiation Oncology, 2Department of Cancer Biology, 3Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, USA
Offprint requests to: Dr. P. Charles Lin, Ph.D. 338 PRB, 2220 Pierce Avenue. Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232. e-mail: Charles.Lin@vanderbilt.edu
Summary. Tumor growth and progression depends on tumor angiogenesis, the growth of tumor blood vessels, therefore, targeting tumor angiogenesis is a very promising approach for controlling tumor growth and/or causing regression. Tumor blood vessels have been recognized as a critical component of radiation response to the point of being independent of tumor oxygenation during radiation. An anti-angiogenic approach has been considered less likely to develop drug resistance. But recent findings suggest that anti-angiogenesis causes hypoxia that selects tumor cells (due to genetic instability) that are less dependent on blood supply and leads to drug resistance. The approach of combination of anti-angiogenesis with ionizing radiation by targeting both endothelial and tumor cells should minimize this possibility. The combination may produce a synergistic anti-tumor effect. Histol Histopathol 21, 1125-1134 (2006)
Key words: Angiogenesis, ionizing radiation, endothelial cell, VEGF and angiogenic growth factor
DOI: 10.14670/HH-21.1125