Angiogenesis Process in Osteosarcoma: An Updated Perspective of Pathophysiology and Therapeutics.

In this review, we discuss the pathologic mechanism of the angiogenesis process in osteosarcoma (OS) and the therapeutic use of angiogenesis inhibitors in OS treatment. The activation of endothelial cells by angiogenic factors leads to the production of proteolytic enzymes, which degrade the extracellular matrix. The degradation of the underlying basement membrane enables endothelial cells to proliferate and migrate to the surrounding tissue to form new vessels. These new vessels provide cancer cells with oxygen and nutrition and play an important role in cancer cell survival and metastasis. Thus, antiangiogenic therapies might be an interesting approach in OS therapeutics.