Intérêts thérapeutiques des médicaments antiangiogéniques disponibles en cancérologie

New blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) is fundamental to the process of tumor. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors (VEGF) and their receptors are considered to be ones of the most important regulators of angiogenesis and new key targets for anti-cancer treatment. Three angiogenesis inhibitors are approved in France for patients with various malignancies. The main purpose of this review is to summarize the basic mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis and the reasons why angiogenesis inhibitors arouse therapeutic interest. However, for these drugs, fundamental pharmacodynamic effects observed in laboratory studies were not always translated to efficacy in clinical development. Moreover, many side effects were reported and may discourage from using it. Their optimal use should be necessary to minimize side effects and guarantee therapeutic progress.