The formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) is essential for tumor growth. Treating tumor tissue with a combination of angiogenesis inhibitors and anticancer therapies can enhance drug delivery and prolong progression-free survival.
Nobuyuki Takakura from the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Japan, describes vascular normalization by angiogenesis inhibitors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling inhibitors as a “promising method for improvement of chemotherapy.”
However, recognizing the ‘window of opportunity’ for the tumor vascular normalizing period so that anticancer therapy can be effectively timed, remains a challenge.
