TY - JOUR
T1 - The emerging role of anti-angiogenic therapy in ovarian cancer (review)
AU - Conteduca, Vincenza
AU - Kopf, Barbara
AU - Burgio, Salvatore Luca
AU - Bianchi, Emanuela
AU - Amadori, Dino
AU - De Giorgi, Ugo
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The introduction of new therapeutic agents into clinical practice of ovarian cancer, in addition to the role of surgery and chemotherapy, has been the subject of numerous studies because this tumor remains worldwide the most lethal gynecological cancer. It is now known that angiogenesis plays a vital role for ovarian physiology, but also in ovarian carcinogenesis and so it has become the main target of ovarian cancer treatment. In this review, the most common molecular pathways of angiogenesis have been investigated leading to the identification of novel targets, including monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The fundamental targets of anti-angiogenic drugs are vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and its ligand, but also platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and angiopoietin. Moreover, improved knowledge of angiogenic process allowed the discovery of other molecules, such as semaphorins, neuropilins, clusterin, some transcriptional factors, and the identification of features, including stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, downregulation of certain microRNAs, the alteration of immune system, that contribute to angiogenesis and possibly to resistance mechanisms. The following patent and literature review aim to highlight recent findings of approved and novel anti-angiogenic drugs that make the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer a rapidly growing field of oncology.
AB - The introduction of new therapeutic agents into clinical practice of ovarian cancer, in addition to the role of surgery and chemotherapy, has been the subject of numerous studies because this tumor remains worldwide the most lethal gynecological cancer. It is now known that angiogenesis plays a vital role for ovarian physiology, but also in ovarian carcinogenesis and so it has become the main target of ovarian cancer treatment. In this review, the most common molecular pathways of angiogenesis have been investigated leading to the identification of novel targets, including monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The fundamental targets of anti-angiogenic drugs are vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and its ligand, but also platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factor and angiopoietin. Moreover, improved knowledge of angiogenic process allowed the discovery of other molecules, such as semaphorins, neuropilins, clusterin, some transcriptional factors, and the identification of features, including stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, downregulation of certain microRNAs, the alteration of immune system, that contribute to angiogenesis and possibly to resistance mechanisms. The following patent and literature review aim to highlight recent findings of approved and novel anti-angiogenic drugs that make the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer a rapidly growing field of oncology.
KW - Angiogenesis
KW - Bevacizumab
KW - Chemotherapy
KW - Epithelial ovarian cancer
KW - Monoclonal antibody
KW - Tyrosine kinase inhibitor
KW - Vascular endothelial growth factor
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84899096671&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84899096671&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3892/ijo.2014.2334
DO - 10.3892/ijo.2014.2334
M3 - Article
C2 - 24626312
AN - SCOPUS:84899096671
VL - 44
SP - 1417
EP - 1424
JO - International Journal of Oncology
JF - International Journal of Oncology
SN - 1019-6439
IS - 5
ER -