The failures and challenges of more than a decade of research in the field known as angiogenesis were discussed at a candid meeting between leading researchers and sponsoring companies over the weekend before the beginning of the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Angiogenesis is the body's natural ability to grow new blood vessels.
Tumors trigger angiogenesis to generate their own blood supplies.
Cancer researchers have been trying to stop tumor angiogenesis in a process called anti-angiogenesis. A small percentage of cancer patients have shown dramatic improvements, but most have experienced either modest effects or no effects at all. And in some cases, patients' conditions have worsened. Still, a panel of 15 leading experts agreed that anti-angiogenesis agents show tremendous promise when combined with standard chemotherapy, certain conventional drugs such as the arthritis drug Celebrex, and other experimental compounds. Research now will focus on treating patients earlier in the course of the cancer with combinations of drugs in an effort to delay or halt tumor growth altogether.