Anti-angiogenic therapy for cancer and the mechanisms of tumor resistance

Resumen

Tumor progression requires the activation of neovascularization, or angiogenesis, a process orchestrated by tumor and by stromal cells within the tumor mass. In the therapeutic targeting of angiogenesis, the aim is to inhibit tumor growth and progression. Indeed, anti-angiogenic therapy is currently used in several types of cancer. Nevertheless, both the tumor cells and the stromal components may be variably resistant to anti-angiogenic therapy, demonstrating refractoriness, or intrinsic resistance, on the one hand, and acquired resistance, gained progressively during treatment, on the other. Several strategies have been proposed to overcome both types of resistance but they remain to be tested in preclinical studies and clinical trials.

Keywords: anti-angiogenic therapy · tumor cells · stromal cells · intrinsic resistance · acquired resistance