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Review
. 2014 Oct;35(4):253-62.
doi: 10.4103/0971-5851.144985.

Anti-angiogenic therapies for advanced esophago-gastric cancer

Elisa Fontana  1 , Francesco Sclafani  1 , David Cunningham  1
Affiliations
Review

Anti-angiogenic therapies for advanced esophago-gastric cancer

Elisa Fontana et al. Indian J Med Paediatr Oncol. 2014 Oct.

Abstract

Neo-vascularization is a vital process for tumor growth and development which involves the interaction between tumor cells and stromal endothelial cells through several growth factors and membranous receptors which ultimately activate pro-angiogenic intracellular signaling pathways. Inhibition of angiogenesis has become a standard treatment option for several tumor types including colorectal cancer, glioblastoma and ovarian cancer. In gastric cancer, the therapeutic role of anti-angiogenic agents is more controversial. Bevacizumab and ramucirumab, two monoclonal antibodies, which target vascular endothelial growth factor-A and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, respectively, have been demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with tumors of the stomach or esophagogastric junction. However, especially for bevacizumab, this antitumor activity has not consistently translated into a survival advantage over standard treatment in randomized trials. In this article, we provide an overview of the role of angiogenesis in gastric cancer and discuss the results of clinical trials that investigated safety and effectiveness of antiangiogenic therapies in this disease. A review of the literature has been done using PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov website and the ASCO Annual Meeting Library.

Keywords: Angiogenesis; bevacizumab; esophageal cancer; gastric cancer; ramucirumab.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

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