Tumor Angiogenesis: Therapeutic Implications

THE growth of solid neoplasms is always accompanied by neovascularization. This new capillary growth is even more vigorous and continuous than a similar outgrowth of capillary sprouts observed in fresh wounds or in inflammation.1 Many workers have described the association between growing solid malignant tumors and new vessel growth.2 3 4 5 6 However, it has not been appreciated until the past few years that the population of tumor cells and the population of capillary endothelial cells within a neoplasm may constitute a highly integrated ecosystem. In this ecosystem the mitotic index of the two cell populations may depend upon each other. Tumor cells . . .