Antiangiogenic therapy and surgical practice.

BACKGROUND: Antiangiogenic therapy has become a reality with the recent introduction of bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor. METHODS: Relevant medical literature from PubMed, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and National Institutes of Health websites to August 2007 was reviewed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Although often described as the fourth modality of treatment after surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, many antiangiogenic drugs have failed to live up to expectations. Nevertheless, research continues and there are reasons to believe that antiangiogenic therapy may yet have a future in the clinical setting.