Pharmacological Regulation of Platelet Factors That Influence Tumor Angiogenesis

In addition to maintaining hemostasis, platelets play an important pathological role driving tumor growth and metastasis. One mechanism by which platelets contribute to tumor growth and metastasis is their potent promotion of angiogenesis. This is accomplished in large part by the numerous factors stored, generated, and released by platelets that have the potential to influence every stage of angiogenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of the many platelet-secreted pro- and anti-angiogenic factors. We examine the basic science and clinical evidence supporting their contributions to tumor angiogenesis. Finally, we review the pharmacological regulation of their release from platelets and discuss the potential of anti-platelet drugs as adjuvant anti-angiogenesis therapy.