BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is a word of Greek origin, 'angeio' refers to blood vessel, and genesis refers to creation, meaning the generation of new blood vessels. This process is essential for vertebrate development and plays a key role in human diseases. Angiogenesis is generally understood to be essential for the growth and metastasis of solid tumors and is also important in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: This review summarizes the essential features of physiological and tumoral angiogenesis and the methods used for their assessment. RESULTS: Technologies for evaluating angiogenesis in AML are discussed and the prognostic significance of angiogenic factors is considered in the context of optimizing treatment. CONCLUSION: As acute myelogenous leukemia and endothelial cells depend on each other for survival and proliferation, therapy directed against several pro-angiogenic factors might help to enhance the AML outcome.
BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is a word of Greek origin, 'angeio' refers to blood vessel, and genesis refers to creation, meaning the generation of new blood vessels. This process is essential for vertebrate development and plays a key role in human diseases. Angiogenesis is generally understood to be essential for the growth and metastasis of solid tumors and is also important in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: This review summarizes the essential features of physiological and tumoral angiogenesis and the methods used for their assessment. RESULTS: Technologies for evaluating angiogenesis in AML are discussed and the prognostic significance of angiogenic factors is considered in the context of optimizing treatment. CONCLUSION: As acute myelogenous leukemia and endothelial cells depend on each other for survival and proliferation, therapy directed against several pro-angiogenic factors might help to enhance the AML outcome.