Benefits and limitations of antiangiogenic agents in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers and, unfortunately, the most deadly. Most patients present either with locally advanced or metastatic disease or develop disease recurrence after local therapies. For these patients, chemotherapy has been the primary treatment but often yields less than optimal results. Recent advances in targeted therapies have raised the promise of improved outcomes for patients. In particular, angiogenesis has been identified as a viable target. Several approaches have been developed, including monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors against angiogenic growth factors, particularly vascular endothelial growth factor, and novel vascular disrupting agents. In this review, the role of these antiangiogenic agents in patients with non-small cell lung cancer will be discussed, with an emphasis on bevacizumab and other agents under development and clinical testing (i.e., tyrosine kinase inhibitors and vascular disrupting agents).