Angiogenic factors: role in esophageal cancer, a brief review

• Published in: Esophagus : official journal of the Japan Esophageal Society Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 53 - 58
• Main Authors: Ladeira, Kátia, Macedo, Filipa, Longatto, Adhemar, Martins, Sandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer 01.04.2018; Springer Japan; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Angiopoietin-2 - metabolism; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Ciências Médicas; Esophageal cancer; Esophageal Neoplasms; Esophageal Neoplasms - blood; Esophageal Neoplasms - genetics; Esophageal Neoplasms - metabolism; Esophagus; Fibroblast Growth Factors; Fibroblast Growth Factors - metabolism; Follistatin; Follistatin - metabolism; Gastroenterology; Hepatocyte Growth Factor; Hepatocyte Growth Factor - blood; Hepatocyte Growth Factor - genetics; HGF; Humans; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit - genetics; Interleukin-6 - genetics; Medical prognosis; Medicina Básica; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neovascularization; Neovascularization, Pathologic - genetics; Neovascularization, Pathologic - metabolism; Pathologic; Prognosis; Review Article; Science & Technology; Surgical Oncology; Thoracic Surgery; Transforming Growth Factor beta1; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 - blood; Tumor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors - genetics; VEGF; Angiopoietin-2; TGF-B1; HGF; VEGF; Esophageal cancer; IL-6
• ISSN: 1612-9059; 1612-9067; 1612-9067
• DOI: 10.1007/s10388-017-0597-1

Esophageal cancer has an aggressive behavior with rapid tumor mass growth and frequently poor prognosis; it is known as one of the most fatal types of cancer worldwide. The identification of potential molecular markers that can predict the response to treatment and the prognosis of this cancer has been subject of a vast investigation in the recent years. Among several molecules, various angiogenic factors that are linked to the tumor development, growth, and invasion, such as VEGF, HGF, angiopoietin-2, IL-6, and TGF-B1, were investigated. In this paper, the authors sought to review the role of these angiogenic factors in prognosis and hypothesize how they can be used as a treatment target.