How do drugs that prevent growth of blood vessels help lung cancer?
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Because lung cancer cells are dividing out of control, they need a lot of oxygen and nutrients. To make sure they get these two things, some cancerous tumors are able to initiate the growth of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to them. Some new cancer drugs are able to prevent the growth of these blood vessels, thereby cutting off the supply of necessary nutrients to the tumor. This prevents the tumor from increasing in size.
Because lung cancer cells are dividing out of control, they need a lot of oxygen and nutrients. To make sure they get these two things, some cancerous tumors are able to initiate the growth of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to them.... More -
Dr. Vincent T DeVita Jr answered:They do it in two ways. First they prevent the growth of new blood vessels in tumors . Rapidly growing cancer cells need these blood vessels to keep them nourished. And second, while cancer cells can get blood vessles to grow along with them, they don't do it very well. Drugs that prevent growth of blood vessels also " normalize " the patchwork of crooked blood vessels seen in a tumor mass. By normalizing the blood vessels in the tumor, these blood vessels are better able to carry anti cancer drugs and even the antibody that is used to prevent blood vessel growth more efficiently to cancer cells and kill them.They do it in two ways. First they prevent the growth of new blood vessels in tumors . Rapidly growing cancer cells need these blood vessels to keep them nourished. And second, while cancer cells can get blood vessles to grow along with them,... More
