text zoom
Angiogenesis is a vital process in the progression of cancer from small, localized neoplasms to larger, growing, and potentially metastatic tumors. To grow beyond 1 to 2 mm in diameter, a tumor needs an independent blood supply, which is acquired by expressing growth factors that recruit new vasculature from existing blood vessels. This process continues even as the tumor matures. Thus, upregulation of angiogenesis is a key step in sustained tumor growth and may also be critical for tumor metastasis.3-6
Angiogenesis has been correlated with disease progression and/or poor prognosis in many tumor types—including lung, colon, breast, renal, and other cancers—and can be activated at different stages of tumor development, depending on the tumor type and microenvironmental conditions.3-6
