 |
|
Potential diagnostic marker indicates effectiveness of anti-angiogenic drugs
September 18, 2006CHICAGO - If an anti-angiogenic drug is successfully starving a cancer patient's tumor to death, the number of endothelial cells circulating in the individual's bloodstream will decrease, thus providing a potential biomarker for gauging the medication's effectiveness, according to National Cancer Institute (NCI) research.
Previous studies have shown that the blood circulation of cancer patients has an abnormally high number of endothelial cells, which help construct blood vessels including those that feed the cancerous tumor.
"For a cancer to survive, grow and spread, a tumor needs to make more endothelial cells and construct new blood vessels to provide oxygen and other nutrients," said NCI scientist Haiqing Li, Ph.D., first author of the study.
"In addition to growing them directly from nearby blood vessels, tumors can also signal the body's bone marrow to boost the supply of endothelial cells in the blood circulation," Li added.
Results were presented at the first international meeting on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development, organized by the American Association for Cancer Research.
Anti-angiogenic drugs inhibit blood vessel development at the tumor by killing the endothelial cells lining tumor blood vessels and/or cutting off the supply of endothelial cells from bone marrow. These drugs are typically paired with chemotherapy agents. Unlike anti-angiogenic drugs, chemotherapy agents directly assault tumor cells, and a reliable therapeutic biomarker for evaluating these agents is whether there are fewer cells in the tumor, or more, or just the same amount as before the treatment. Some chemotherapy drugs, Li noted, also have the benefit of being toxic to endothelial cells, providing a possible second biomarker for those agents.
But biomarkers have yet to be defined for anti-angiogenic drugs. "Many anti-angiogenic drugs may encounter problems during clinical studies, because they can't reduce tumor size rapidly like chemotherapies can," noted Li. "Thus, a biomarker is needed for the effectiveness of anti-angiogenic drugs in an early stage."
The NCI study, conducted with the European Institute of Oncology (EIO), suggests that the anti-angiogenic drugs enhance chemotherapy's ability to kill endothelial cells, as indicated by increases in dead endothelial cells circulating in the patient's blood stream.
The NCI and EIO scientists also discovered that anti-angiogenic drugs might combat cancer by preventing immature cells in the bone marrow from developing into endothelial cells.
This research was conducted with four groups of immunodeficient mice in which human prostate cancer cells had been implanted. Each group received a different treatment: a control agent (no drug); a chemotherapy agent (docetaxel) only; an anti-angiogenic drug (thalidomide) alone; and both chemotherapy and the anti-angiogenic drugs.
Circulating endothelial cell (CEC) levels were measured before all four groups were treated and at specific times during the study. In the group receiving only chemotherapy, blood levels of dead CECs soon increased, up to 2.6 fold. In the animals treated with the two drugs, CEC death was higher - up to 4.3 fold - suggesting that the anti-angiogenic agent may have enhanced chemotherapy's ability to kill the tumor vascular endothelial cells.
Tests conducted later in the study revealed that treatment with the anti-angiogenic drug alone reduced the level of viable CECs by 18 percent, while treatment with only chemotherapy decreased it by 61 percent. The combination of both drugs further diminished the blood levels of viable CECs by 75 percent, indicating that the anti-angiogenic drug may have inhibited the immature endothelial cells in the bone marrow from reproducing and differentiating into adult cells.
Li is continuing her research on CECs in cancer. "We are in the process of testing whether this biomarker is exclusive for anti-angiogenic therapy," she added. "Hopefully, the knowledge we learn pre-clinically will be translated into a useful biomarker for patients."
American Association for Cancer Research
"In addition to growing them directly from nearby blood vessels, tumors can also signal the body's bone marrow to boost the supply of endothelial cells in the blood circulation," Li added.
Results were presented at the first international meeting on Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development, organized by the American Association for Cancer Research.
Anti-angiogenic drugs inhibit blood vessel development at the tumor by killing the endothelial cells lining tumor blood vessels and/or cutting off the supply of endothelial cells from bone marrow. These drugs are typically paired with chemotherapy agents. Unlike anti-angiogenic drugs, chemotherapy agents directly assault tumor cells, and a reliable therapeutic biomarker for evaluating these agents is whether there are fewer cells in the tumor, or more, or just the same amount as before the treatment. Some chemotherapy drugs, Li noted, also have the benefit of being toxic to endothelial cells, providing a possible second biomarker for those agents.
But biomarkers have yet to be defined for anti-angiogenic drugs. "Many anti-angiogenic drugs may encounter problems during clinical studies, because they can't reduce tumor size rapidly like chemotherapies can," noted Li. "Thus, a biomarker is needed for the effectiveness of anti-angiogenic drugs in an early stage."
The NCI study, conducted with the European Institute of Oncology (EIO), suggests that the anti-angiogenic drugs enhance chemotherapy's ability to kill endothelial cells, as indicated by increases in dead endothelial cells circulating in the patient's blood stream.
The NCI and EIO scientists also discovered that anti-angiogenic drugs might combat cancer by preventing immature cells in the bone marrow from developing into endothelial cells.
This research was conducted with four groups of immunodeficient mice in which human prostate cancer cells had been implanted. Each group received a different treatment: a control agent (no drug); a chemotherapy agent (docetaxel) only; an anti-angiogenic drug (thalidomide) alone; and both chemotherapy and the anti-angiogenic drugs.
Circulating endothelial cell (CEC) levels were measured before all four groups were treated and at specific times during the study. In the group receiving only chemotherapy, blood levels of dead CECs soon increased, up to 2.6 fold. In the animals treated with the two drugs, CEC death was higher - up to 4.3 fold - suggesting that the anti-angiogenic agent may have enhanced chemotherapy's ability to kill the tumor vascular endothelial cells.
Tests conducted later in the study revealed that treatment with the anti-angiogenic drug alone reduced the level of viable CECs by 18 percent, while treatment with only chemotherapy decreased it by 61 percent. The combination of both drugs further diminished the blood levels of viable CECs by 75 percent, indicating that the anti-angiogenic drug may have inhibited the immature endothelial cells in the bone marrow from reproducing and differentiating into adult cells.
Li is continuing her research on CECs in cancer. "We are in the process of testing whether this biomarker is exclusive for anti-angiogenic therapy," she added. "Hopefully, the knowledge we learn pre-clinically will be translated into a useful biomarker for patients."
American Association for Cancer Research
Anti-angiogenic Current Events and Anti-angiogenic News RSSGreen tea shows promise as chemoprevention agent for oral cancer, M. D. Anderson study finds
Green tea extract has shown promise as cancer prevention agent for oral cancer in patients with a pre-malignant condition known as oral leukoplakia, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Probiotic Found to Be Effective Treatment for Colitis In Mice
The probiotic, Bacillus polyfermenticus, can help mice recover from colitis, a new study has found.
Small peptide found to stop lung cancer tumor growth in mice
In new animal research done by investigators at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, scientists have discovered a treatment effective in mice at blocking the growth and shrinking the size of lung cancer tumors, one of the leading causes of cancer death in the world.
Asian Spice Could Reduce Breast Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women Exposed to Hormone Replacement Therapy, MU Study Finds
Previous studies have found that postmenopausal women who have taken a combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy have increased their risk of developing progestin-accelerated breast tumors.
Why do people with Down syndrome have less cancer?
Most cancers are rare in people with Down syndrome, whose overall cancer mortality is below 10 percent of that in the general population.
New universal breast cancer marker predicts recurrence and clinical outcome
Reporting online in the American Journal of Pathology, researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have implicated the loss of a stromal protein called caveolin-1 as a major new prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer, predicting early disease recurrence, metastasis and breast cancer patient survival.
Angiogenesis inhibitor improves brain tumor survival by reducing edema
The beneficial effects of anti-angiogenesis drugs in the treatment of the deadly brain tumors called glioblastomas appear to result primarily from reduction of edema - the swelling of brain tissue - and not from any direct anti-tumor effect.
Study sheds light on angiogenesis inhibitors, points to limitations, solutions
A new generation of cancer drugs designed to starve tumors of their blood supply - called "angiogenesis inhibitors"-succeeds at first, but then promotes more invasive cancer growth-sometimes with a higher incidence of metastases, according to a new study in animals.
Angiogenesis linked to poor survival in patients with rare type of ovarian cancer
Researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have found that increased angiogenesis, or blood vessel formation, and vascular endothelial growth factor expression are associated with poor survival in women with sex cord-stromal ovarian tumors.
Study of revlimid and vidaza in higher-risk MDS is well-tolerated and has high activity
Celgene International Sarl (NASDAQ: CELG) reported that results of a Phase I study presented today combining REVLIMID and VIDAZA in patients with higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) found that the combination of these two therapies is well tolerated and has high activity.
More Anti-angiogenic Current Events and Anti-angiogenic News Articles
|
Anti-angiogenic ribozyme patent issued to Ribozyme.(Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article): An article from: BIOTECH Patent News by Biotech Patent News (Publisher) This digital document is an article from BIOTECH Patent News, published by Biotech Patent News on February 1, 2002. The length of the article is 472 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Citation Details Title: Anti-angiogenic ribozyme patent issued to Ribozyme.(Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article) Publication: BIOTECH Patent News (Newsletter) Date: February 1, 2002 Publisher: Biotech Patent News Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Page: NA Article Type: Brief Article Distributed by Thomson... | |
 |
Magnolia Bark - 60 Capsules 2400 mg Anti-Anxiety & Anti-Angiogenic by AmerMed Magnolia has been traditionally used to help control stress and anxiety. Japanese researchers have determined that honokiol and magnolol, two chemicals found in magnolia bark to be up to 1000 times more potent than vitamin e in antioxidant activity. |
|
Source anti-angiogenic compounds from functional foods.: An article from: Emerging Food R&D Report by Food Technology Intelligence, Inc. (Publisher) This digital document is an article from Emerging Food R&D Report, published by Food Technology Intelligence, Inc. on June 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1483 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Citation Details Title: Source anti-angiogenic compounds from functional foods. Publication: Emerging Food R&D Report (Newsletter) Date: June 1, 2004 Publisher: Food Technology Intelligence, Inc. Volume: 15 Issue: 3 Page: NA Distributed by Thomson... | |
 |
Anti-Angiogenic: Webster's Timeline History, 1986 - 2007 by Icon Group International (Author) Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Anti-Angiogenic," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Anti-Angiogenic in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Anti-Angiogenic when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts,... |
|
Apigenin--strong cytostatic and anti-angiogenic action in vitro contrasted by lack of efficacy in vivo.: An article from: Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology by C. Engelmann (Author), E. Blot (Author), Y. Panis (Author), S. Bauer (Author), V. Trochon (Author), H.J. Nagy (Author), H. Lu (Author), C. Soria (Author) This digital document is an article from Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology, published by Urban & Fischer Verlag on September 1, 2002. The length of the article is 4809 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Citation Details Title: Apigenin--strong cytostatic and anti-angiogenic action in vitro contrasted by lack of efficacy in vivo. Author: C. Engelmann Publication: Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy & Phytopharmacology (Refereed) Date: September 1, 2002 Publisher: Urban & Fischer Verlag Volume: 9 Issue: 6 Page:... | |
 |
Anti-Angiogenic Functional and Medicinal Foods (Nutraceutical Science and Technology) by Jack N. Losso (Editor), Fereidoon Shahidi (Editor), Debasis Bagchi (Editor) The ability to regulate and manipulate the generation or remodeling of blood vessels is key to the successful treatment of many chronic diseases, both oncological and non-oncological. Several bioactive compounds present in human diets are now known to exert an inhibitive effect on the either the signaling or construction of new blood vessels. The identification and characterization of these anti-angiogenic molecules opens a new avenue for the research and production of functional and medicinal foods with far reaching implications for the food-based treatment of chronic degenerative disease. Drawing from an extensive list of esteemed international contributors, Anti-Angiogenic Functional and Medicinal Foods explores the history and scope of the use of conventional foods, nutraceuticals,... |
|
Neuroimaging Clinics of North America : Advances in Brain Tumor Imaging and Therapy Volume 12 Number 4 November 2002 by MD James M. Provenzale (Editor) | |
 |
Tumor Angiogenesis: Basic Mechanisms and Cancer Therapy by Dieter Marmé (Author), Dieter Marmé (Editor), Norbert Fusenig (Editor) Tumor angiogenesis is one of the most prominent mechanisms driving tumor development and progression. In the past 30 years some of the most important signaling pathways linking specific angiogenic activities of tumor cells to fatal reactions of the patient s vascular system have been elucidated. Crucial targets for therapeutic intervention have been identified and validated. Based on these achievements targeted drug development programs have been implemented to interfere with tumor angiogenesis as an attractive strategy in cancer treatment. The first targeted anti-angiogenic drugs have been approved for a variety of solid metastasizing cancers. Part 1 describes the basic mechanisms. Tumor-angiogenic signaling pathways are presented as new potential targets for... |
 |
Angiogenesis Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology) by Stewart Martin (Editor), Cliff Murray (Editor) As experimentation and clinical trials with first generation anti-angiogenic agents have yielded results and our understanding of the biology and physiology of blood and lymphatic vessels has increased, a new angiogenesis volume swiftly became a necessity. Angiogenesis Protocols, Second Edition remains true to its original vision of providing a single source for angiogenesis researchers, irrespective of levels of resource and expertise, by collecting a range of methods for cell isolation and assessing angiogenesis in vivo or in vitro. This information, however, is expanded to include chapters on circulating endothelial progenitor cells, angiogenic signalling pathways, imaging of angiogenesis, and measurement of tissue blood flow. Written in the Methods in Molecular Biology™ series... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |