Angiogenesis, angiogenic factor expression and prognosis of bladder cancer.

Angiogenesis is the process by which tumours induce a blood supply from their surrounding tissues and it has been shown to be necessary for tumour growth. Evidence is accumulating for both the prognostic usefulness of measures of angiogenesis and its potential as a target for anticancer therapy. This review discusses the evidence concerning the association between angiogenesis and bladder cancer, focusing on the mechanisms behind the angiogenic process and the quantification of factors believed to be involved, relating these clinically to their prognostic use and to the antiangiogenic strategies so far described in vitro and in vivo.