Inhibition of Angiogenesis: Treatment Options for Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most frequentlydiagnosed malignancy and the second mostcommon cause of cancer-related death in menin the United States. Unfortunately, atthe current time, no curative treatmentsare available for metastatic prostatecancer. As is the case for most solidtumors, the recruitment of blood vessels(angiogenesis) is key for the progressionand metastasis of prostate cancer. Inhibition of this process is an attractiveapproach to treatment. Many antiangiogenicagents are currently in clinicaldevelopment. The following discussion willoutline the importance of angiogenesis inthe metastasis and progression of prostatecancer, summarize the current surrogatemarkers of angiogenesis available for thedrug development of antiangiogenic agents,and review examples of investigationalagents that target tumor angiogenesis(e.g., TNP-470, Thalidomide, CC5013,Carboxyamido-triazole (CAI), Endostatin,SU5416 , SU6668, Bevacizumab (Anti-VEGFrhuMAb), and 2-Methoxyestradiol).