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Role of the Tumor Microenvironment in Mediating Response to Anti-angiogenic Therapy

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Abstract

Despite the development of innovative anti-angiogenic strategies, early clinical trials have not replicated the results observed from preclinical models. One reason for this apparent discrepancy is the fact that tumor endothelium is phenotypically distinct from normal tissue endothelium. Moreover, it has recently become apparent that each individual tumor may display a different angiogenic phenotype. The expression of angiogenic factors in tumors is controlled by both intrinsic factors in the tumor cell and the influence of the host microenvironment. The diversity of angiogenic factor expression in tumors growing at different sites, combined with the fact that endothelial cells in different organs and tumors are phenotypically distinct, constitutes a formidable challenge for the development of effective anti-angiogenic regimens. This review provides an overview of how the microenvironment regulates tumor angiogenesis and affects the efficacy of anti-angiogenic therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cancer Biology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Young D. Jung, Syed A. Ahmad, Yoshito Akagi, Yutaka Takahashi, Wenbiao Liu, Niels Reinmuth & Fan Fan

  2. Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Raymond M. Shaheen

  3. Department of Cancer Biology; Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA

    Lee M. Ellis

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  1. Young D. Jung
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Jung, Y.D., Ahmad, S.A., Akagi, Y. et al. Role of the Tumor Microenvironment in Mediating Response to Anti-angiogenic Therapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 19, 147–157 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026510130114

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