Long-Term Risks of Shutting Down VEGF from Inside the Cell
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
New research shows that production of VEGF -- a master regulator of blood vessel growth -- from within a cell is an important survival mechanism used by that cell, and that shutting it down could pose long-term risks. The work raises a red flag about long-term use of VEGF-inhibiting small-molecule cancer drugs that travel inside a cell to prevent VEGF expression. It also reinforces the importance of advancing methods for direct delivery of these drugs to tumors.