Description
It is a necessity for all solid tumours over 1-2mm3 in diameter to have a blood supply. The blood vessels within a tumour differ from normal blood vessels in that they are proliferating and immature. Vascular targeting agents can exploit these differences. They damage the tumour endothelium and block blood flow causing the death of tumour cells dependent on that particular blood vessel for nutrients and oxygen. So far, most interest has been concentrated on tubulin binding agents such as Combretastatin and flavone acetic acid derivatives such as DMXAA. However, antibody-directed therapies and gene therapies are also being developed. This article outlines the agents currently being tested in the laboratory and those that are likely to be appearing in the clinic soon.
