Antiangiogenic Cancer Treatment for Dogs

Angiogenesis is the creation of blood vessels that feed tumors. One strategy for treating canine cancer is to interrupt the process and starve the tumors by using antiangiogenic drugs.

  1. Benefits

    • Antiangiogenic drugs are less invasive than surgery and easier on the body than radiation and/or chemotherapy.

    Features

    • Cancers have the ability to become resistant to chemotherapy, but that is seldom a problem with antiangiogenic drugs, because the medications work on cells in the body and not directly on cancer cells.

    Types

    • Antiangiogenic drugs work on a multitude of cancers, including tumors that might be classified as inoperable. In addition, various types of antiangiogenic medications can be combined to be more effective.

    Time Frame

    • Antiangiogenic drugs typically take weeks or months to become fully effective, but their greatest advantages are that they keep tumor growth in check and can be used long-term.

    Potential

    • The newly approved drug toceranib is the first antiangiogenic medicine formulated specifically for dogs and should be available by the middle of 2010.