Molecular Mechanisms and Future Implications of VEGF/VEGFR in Cancer Therapy

Angiogenesis, the sprouting of new blood vessels from existing vessels, is one of six known mechanisms employed by solid tumors to recruit blood vessels necessary for their initiation, growth, and metastatic spread. The vascular network within the tumor facilitates the transport of nutrients, oxygen, and immune cells and is regulated by pro- and anti-angiogenic factors. Nearly four decades ago, VEGF was identified as a critical factor promoting vascular permeability and angiogenesis, followed by identification of VEGF family ligands and their receptors (VEGFR). Since then, over a dozen drugs targeting the VEGF/VEGFR pathway have been approved for approximately 20 solid tumor types, usually in combination with…

• NF
  National Foundation for Cancer Research
• CP
  Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas

  Award: RP210028
• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: U01CA261842, U01CA224348, R01-CA208205, R01-NS118929, R01-CA259253, R01CA269672, R35CA197743