Theranostic Advances in Vascular Malformations

Abstract

Vascular malformations are subdivided into capillary, lymphatic, venous, arteriovenous, and mixed malformations, according to the type of affected vessels. Until a few years ago, treatment options were limited to sclerotherapy and/or surgery. Since, it has been demonstrated that the majority of vascular malformations are caused by inherited or somatic mutations in various genes. These mutations lead to hyperactivity of two major signaling pathways: the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin pathways. These discoveries paved the way for the development and testing of targeted molecular inhibitors as therapies for vascular anomalies via repurposing of anticancer drugs.