Examining the safety profile of angiogenesis inhibitors: implications for clinical practice

Dysregulation of angiogenesis in solid tumors enables tumor growth and metastasis. Receptors that mediate angiogenesis, and their ligands, have been identified; among these, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptor tyrosine kinase play a central role. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), clinical benefit has been shown with bevacizumab, which blocks VEGF binding to its receptors. In addition, small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors are currently in clinical practice or development in several indications. The potential clinical benefit of antiangiogenic agents is accompanied by the need to understand their safety profiles, seek suitable combination regimens and identify patients able to tolerate one treatment over another. This is particularly relevant in cancers for which patients often present with advanced disease and suffer co-morbidities, requiring an agent that is both efficacious and well tolerated over long-term continuous treatment. Using literature from peer-reviewed journals, this review considers different antiangiogenic agents and their safety profiles, focusing on the potential impact of these data on the treatment of patients with NSCLC.