Tumor angiogenesis in gastric cancer.

Growth of solid tumors, including gastric cancer, and the formation of metastasis depend on the induction of new blood vessels; in tumors, angiogenesis is uncontrolled and immature. This is a complex process, depending on a great variety of angiogenic factors, one of the most important being the vascular endothelial growth factor. In order to suppress the tumor development and the occurrence of metastasis, clinical trials have been developed with angiogenesis inhibitors, many of them with encouraging results. Further research is needed in regard to the idea of combined antiangiogenic therapy with conventional chemotherapy, or even immune or genetic therapies, in order to increase treatment efficiency and to suppress side effects.