[Anti-angiogenic factors in thoracic oncology: successes, failures and prospects]

Abstract

Many growth factors involved in tumor angiogenesis are potential targets in thoracic oncology. This work is a review of the literature on the effectiveness of anti-angiogenic treatments in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MM). Thirty-four articles and 15 abstracts were identified. Currently, bevacizumab is the only drug that has demonstrated an impact on overall survival in first line treatment for stage IV non-squamous NSCLC, but VEGFR-TKI such as cediranib, aflibercept, vandetanib, pazopanib have shown encouraging results in phase II or III clinical trials. In extensive-disease SCLC and inoperable MM, bevacizumab is the most studied molecule, but again, clinical trials are still ongoing. Current data on potential predictors for efficacy are disappointing, but some biomarkers or radiological techniques might be useful for guiding the use of anti-angiogenic therapies in the future. In conclusion, bevacizumab is the most studied anti-angiogenic agent in thoracic oncology. It is the only approved drug with an indication in first-line and maintenance treatment for stage IV non-squamous NSCLC. The indications for the use of VEGFR-TKI in clinical practice remain to be defined.