The VEGF pathway in lung cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Lung cancer is a disease whose prognosis has remained poor in the last decades. Recent advances in the understanding of the molecular pathways behind this disease have revealed several mediators of important tumor functions. One of these functions is angiogenesis, which is considered essential for tumor growth and propagation, and a key mediator promoting this process is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In lung cancer, VEGF plays a significant role in establishing a vascular supply within the tumor. Thus, a new class of drugs has emerged, targeting its pathway, which has offered substantial, albeit small, improvements in patient prognosis.

Areas covered: The VEGF pathway and its role in a multitude of different human cancers are presented at first. We then proceed by analyzing its importance in lung cancer and exploring the therapeutic benefits achieved by its targeting, which set new goals for the future.

Expert opinion: Today, the VEGF pathway remains an attractive target for anticancer treatment, and the way forward requires detection of predictive markers and efforts for a more complete angiogenic blockade.