Open AccessImplications of vessel co‐option in sorafenib‐resistant hepatocellular carcinoma
Author(s) -
Kuczynski Elizabeth A.,
Kerbel Robert S.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
cancer communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.119
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2523-3548
DOI - 10.1186/s40880-016-0162-7
Subject(s) - sorafenib , hepatocellular carcinoma , angiogenesis , medicine , hccs , cancer research , liver cancer , cancer , oncology , acquired resistance
The reason why tumors generally have a modest or transient response to antiangiogenic therapy is not well understood. This poses a major challenge for sorafenib treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) where alternate therapies are lacking. We recently published a paper entitled “Co‐option of liver vessels and not sprouting angiogenesis drives acquired sorafenib resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma” in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute , providing a potential explanation for this limited benefit. We found that in mice bearing HCCs that had acquired resistance to sorafenib, tumors had switched from using angiogenesis for growth to co‐opting the liver vasculature by becoming more invasive. Accumulating evidence suggests that many human tumor types may use vessel co‐option, which has profound implications for the use of anti‐angiogenic agents for cancer treatment.