Patients using this combination did not experience a recurrence of the cancer for 7.4 months on average, compared to 4.3 months for patients who did not use the angiogenesis inhibitor. Another trial combining another angiogenesis inhibitor with chemotherapy achieved a similar result for patients suffering from advanced colon cancer. For the 28 people in the trial, the cancer's growth stopped for an average of 9.5 months, versus 6 months without the new drug. Researchers emphasize that they have a long way to go, even though the present trials have lasted for years. So far, only 6,500 cancer patients have received the new treatments, according to the Angiogenesis Foundation, which is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
More Tumors depend on blood supply to grow.
You can explore what happens when different parts of the body have different needs for blood flow in the Biology Explorer activity, Blood Supply . More Links Read Dr. Judah Folkman's article, Fighting Cancer by Attacking its Blood Supply. The National Cancer Institute provides an ongoing account of Angiogenesis Inhibitors in Current Trials . Get more information at the Angiogenesis Foundation Web site. Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited.