Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Angiogenesis and ovarian cancer

  • Educational Series
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cancer
  • Published:
Clinical and Translational Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Ovarian carcinoma is the most important cause of gynaecological cancer-related mortality in Western societies. The age at diagnosis, extent of disease (as expressed by FIGO state), success of primary surgery and the histopathological features of the tumour are important prognostic markers. The majority of patients with ovarian cancer present with advanced disease (FIGO stage III/IV) and in this group of patients the median survival is only three years. New treatment approaches are therefore required to improve outcome in this disease. Angiogenesis, the development of a neovascular blood supply, is a critical step in the propagation of malignant tumour growth and metastasis and represents a promising target. This review will focus on angiogenesis, VEGF biology and the potential value of angiogenic factors with prognostic value in ovarian cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E et al (2008) Cancer statistics, 2008. CA Cancer J Clin 58:71–96

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Burger RA, Sill MW, Monk BJ et al (2007) Phase II trial of bevacizumab in persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal cancer: a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study. J Clin Oncol 25:5165–5171

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Cannistra SA, Matulonis UA, Penson RT et al (2007) Phase II study of bevacizumab in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer or peritoneal serous cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:5180–5186

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Folkman J, Watson K, Ingber D et al (1989) Induction of angiogenesis during the transition from hyperplasia to neoplasia. Nature 339:58–61

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hanahan D, Folkman J (1996) Patterns and emerging mechanisms of the angiogenic switch during tumorigenesis. Cell 86:353–364

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ramakrishnan S, Subramanian IV, Yokoyama Y et al (2005) Angiogenesis in normal and neoplastic ovaries. Angiogenesis 8:169–182

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Abu-Jawdeh GM, Faix JD, Niloff J et al (1996) Strong expression of vascular permeability factor (vascular endothelial growth factor) and its receptors in ovarian borderline and malignant neoplasms. Lab Invest 74:1105–1115

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Waltenberger J, Claesson-Welsh L, Siegbahn A et al (1994) Different signal transduction properties of KDR and Flt1, two receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor. J Biol Chem 269:26988–26995

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ferrara N (1995) The role of vascular endothelial growth factor in pathological angiogenesis. Breast Cancer Res Treat 36:127–137

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Nakanishi Y, Kodama J, Yoshinouchi M et al (1997) The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and transforming growth factor-β associates with angiogenesis in epithelial ovarian cancer. Int J Gynecol Pathol 16:256–262

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Masood R, Cai J, Zheng T et al (2001) Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an autocrine growth factor for VEGF receptor-positive human tumors. Blood 98:1904–1913

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Inan S, Vatansever S, Celik-Ozenci C et al (2006) Immunolocalizations of VEGF, its receptors flt-1, KDR and TGF-beta’s in epithelial ovarian tumors. Histol Histopathol 21:1055–1064

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Trinh XB, Tjalma WAA, Vermeulen PB et al (2009) The VEGF pathway and the AKT/mTOR/p70S6K1 signalling pathway in human epithelial ovarian cancer. Br J Cancer 100:971–978

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Chen H, Ye D, Xie X et al (2004) VEGF, VEGFRs expressions and activated STATs in ovarian epithelial carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol 94:630–635

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Fan F, Wey JS, McCarty MF et al (2005) Expression and function of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 on human colorectal cancer cells. Oncogene 24:2647–2653

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Welsh JB, Zarrinkar PP, Sapinoso LM et al (2001) Analysis of gene expression profiles in normal and neoplastic ovarian tissue samples identifies candidate molecular markers of epithelial ovarian cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:1176–1181

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Byrne AT, Ross L, Holash J et al (2003) Vascular endothelial growth factor-trap decreases tumor burden, inhibits ascites, and causes dramatic vascular remodelling in an ovarian cancer model. Clin Cancer Res 9:5721–5728

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Jiang H, Feng Y (2006) Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1α) correlated with tumor growth and apoptosis in ovarian cancer. Int J Gynecol Cancer 16[Suppl 1]:405–412

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Zhu G, Saed GM, Deppe G et al (2004) Hypoxia up regulates the effects of prostaglandin E2 on tumor angiogenesis in ovarian cancer cells. Gyn Oncol 94:422–426

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kumaran GC, Jayson GC, Clamp AR (2009) Antiangiogenic drugs in ovarian cancer. Br J Cancer 100:1–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Ferrara N, Kerbel RS (2005) Angiogenesis as a therapeutic target. Nature 438:967–974

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Osada R, Horiuchi A, Kikuchi N et al (2006) Expression of semaphorins, vascular endothelial growth factor, and their common receptor neuropilins and alleic loss of semaphorin locus in epithelial ovarian neoplasms: increased ratio of vascular endothelial growth factor to semaphorin is a poor prognostic factor in ovarian carcinomas. Hum Pathol 37:1414–1425

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Buckanowich RJ, Sasaroli D, O’Brien-Jenkins A et al (2007) Tumor vascular proteins as biomarkers in ovarian cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:852

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Lecouter J, Lin R, Ferrara N (2004) EG-VEGF: A novel mediator of endocrine-specific angiogenesis, endothelial phenotype, and function. Ann N Y Acad Sci 50:50–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Barton DP, Cai A, Wendt K et al (1997) Angiogenic protein expression in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res 3:1579–1586

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Davidson B, Goldberg I, Gotlieb WH et al (2002) The prognostic value of metalloproteinases and angiogenic factors in ovarian carcinoma. Mol Cell Endocrinol 187:39–45

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Sako A, Kitayama J, Yamaguchi H et al (2003) Vascular endothelial growth factor synthesis by human omental mesothelial cells is augmented by fibroblast growth factor-2: possible role of mesothelial cell on the development of peritoneal metastasis. J Surg Res 115:113–120

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Miyamoto S, Hirata M, Yamazaki A et al (2004) Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor is a promising target for ovarian cancer therapy. Cancer Res 64:5720–5727

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Calza L, Giardino L, Giuliani A et al (2001) Nerve growth factor control of neuronal expression of angiogenetic and vasoactive factors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 98:4160–4165

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Rosano L, Cianfrocca R, Masi S (2009) β-Arrestin links endothelin A receptor to β-catenin signaling to induce ovarian cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 106:2806–2811

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Davidson B, Goldberg I, Reich R et al (2003) AlphaV- and beta1-integrin subunits are commonly expressed in malignant effusions from ovarian carcinoma patients. Gynecol Oncol 90:248–257

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Lassus H, Sihto H, Leminen A et al (2004) Genetic alterations and protein expression of KIT and PDGFRA in serous ovarian carcinoma. Br J Cancer 91:2048–2055

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Sariban E, Sitaras NM, Antoniades HN et al (1988) Expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-related transcripts and synthesis of biologically active PDGF-like proteins by human malignant epithelial cell lines. J Clin Invest 82:1157–1164

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Xu L, Fidler IJ (2000) Interleukin 8: an autocrine growth factor for human ovarian cancer. Oncol Res 12:97–106

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kamba T, Tam BY, Hashizume H et al (2006) VEGF-dependent plasticity of fenestrated capillaries in the normal adult microvasculature. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 290:H560–576

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Seaman S, Stevens J, Yang MY et al (2007) Genes that distinguish physiological and pathological angiogenesis. Cancer Cell 11:539–554

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Vermulen PB, Gasparini G, Fox SB et al (2002). Second international consensus on the methodology and criteria of evaluation of angiogenesis quantification in solid human tumours. Eur J Cancer 38:1564–1579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Rubatt JM, Darcy KM, Hutson A et al (2009) Independent prognostic relevance of microvessel density in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and associations between CD31, CD105, p53 status, and angiogenic marker expression: a Gynecologic Oncolgoy Group study. Gynecol Oncol 112:469–474

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Alvarez AA, Krigman HR, Whitaker RS et al (1999). The prognostic significance of angiogenesis in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 5:587–591

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Hollingsworth HC, Kohn EC, Steinberg SM et al (1995) Tumor angiogenesis in advanced stage ovarian carcinoma. Am J Pathol 147:33–41

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Abulafia O, Triest WE, Sherer DM (1997) Angiogenesis in primary and metastatic epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Am J Obstet Gynecol 177:541–547

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Taskiran C, Erdem O, Onan A et al (2006) The prognostic value of endoglin (CD105) expression in ovarian carcinoma. Int J Gynecol Cancer 16:1789–1793

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Gadducci A, Viacava P, Cosio S (2003) Intratumoral microvessel density, response to chemotherapy and clinical outcome of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma. Anticancer Res 23:549–556

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Gadducci A, Ferrero A, Cosio S et al (2006) Intratumoral microvessel density in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and its use as a prognostic variable. Anticancer Res 26:3925–3932

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Goodheart MJ, Ritchie JM, Rose SL et al (2005) The relationship of molecular markers of p53 function and angiogenesis to prognosis of stage I epithelial ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res 11:3733–3742

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Goodheart MJ, Vasef MA, Sood A et al (2002) Ovarian cancer p53 mutation is associated with tumor microvessel density. Gynecol Oncol 86:85–90

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Fonsatti E, Altomonte M, Nicotra MR et al (2003) Endoglin (CD105): a powerful therapeutic target on tumor-associated angiogenic blood vessels. Oncogene 22:6557–6563

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. El-Gohary YM, Silverman JF, Olson PR et al (2007) Endoglin (CD105) and vascular endothelial growth factor as prognostic markers in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Am J Clin Pathol 127:572–579

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Tsujie M, Uneda S, Tsai H et al (2006) Effective anti-angiogenic therapy of established tumors in mice by naked anti-human endoglin (CD105) antibody: differences in growth rate and therapeutic response between tumors growing at different sites. Int J Oncol 29:1087–1094

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Shen GH, Ghazizadeh M, Kawanami O et al (2000) Prognostic significance of vascular endothelial growth factor expression in human ovarian carcinoma. Br J Cancer 83:196–203

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  51. Paley PJ, Staskus KA, Gebhard K et al (1997) Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in early stage ovarian carcinoma. Cancer 80:98–106

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  52. Kassim SK, El-Salahy EM, Fayed ST et al (2004) Vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-8 are associated with poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer. Clin Biochem 37:363–369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  53. Hefler LA, Mustea A, Konsgen D et al (2007) Vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms are associated with prognosis in ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res 13:898–901

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  54. Hartenbach EM, Olson TA, Goswitz JJ et al (1997) Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and survival in human epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Cancer Lett 121:169–175

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Hefler LA, Mustea A, Könsgen D et al (2007) Vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms are associated with prognosis in ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res 13:898–901

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  56. Mohammadi M, Ollier WE, Hutchinson IV (2003) A functional association study of VEGF gene promoter polymorphisms with VEGF expression by stimulated pbm cells. Hum Immunol 64:S125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Duncan TJ, al-Attar A, Rollan P et al (2008) Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in ovarian cancer: a model for targeted use of novel therapies? Clin Cancer Res 14:3030–3035

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Yamamoto S, Konishi I, Mandai M et al (1997) Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in epithelial ovarian neoplasms: correlation with clinicopathology and patient survival, and analysis of serum VEGF levels. Br J Cancer 76:1221–1227

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Ogawa S, Kaku T, Kobayashi H et al (2002) Prognostic significance of microvessel density, vascular endothelial growth factor expression in ovarian carcinoma: special review for clear cell adenocarcinoma. Cancer Lett 176:111–118

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Nishida N, Yano H, Komai K et al (2004). Vascular endothelial growth factor C and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 are related closely to the prognosis of patients with ovarian carcinoma. Cancer 101:1364–1374

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  61. Ueda M, Terai Y, Kumagai K et al (2001) Vascular endothelial growth factor C gene expression is closely related to invasion phenotype in gynecological tumor cells. Gynecol Oncol 82:162–166

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  62. Yokohama Y, Charnock-Jones DS, Licence D et al (2003) Vascular endothelial growth factor-D is an independent prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Br J Cancer 88:237–244

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Jeon BH, Jang C, Han J et al (2008) Profound but dysfunctional lymphangiogenesis via vascular endothelial growth factor ligands from CD11b+ macrophages in advanced ovarian cancer. Cancer Res 68:1100–1109

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  64. Heinzman JM, Brower SL, Bush JE (2008) Comparison of angiogenesis-related factor expression in primary tumor cultures under normal and hypoxic growth conditions. Cancer Cell Int 8:11

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Fukumura D, Kashiwagi S, Jain RK (2006) The role of nitric oxide in tumour progression. Nat Rev Cancer 6:521–534

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  66. Engels K, du Bois A, Harter P et al (2009) VEGF-A and i-NOS expression are prognostic factors in serous epithelial ovarian carcinomas after complete surgical resection. J Clin Pathol 62:448–454

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  67. Osada R, Horiuchi A, Kikuchi N et al (2007) Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha, hypoxia-inducible factor 2alpha, and von Hippel-Lindau protein in epithelial ovarian neoplasms and allelic loss of von Hippel-Lindau gene: nuclear expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1alpha is an independent prognostic factor in ovarian carcinoma. Hum Pathol 38:1310–1320

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Henriksen R, Funa K, Wilander E et al (1993) Expression and prognostic significance of platelet-derived growth factor and its receptors in epithelial ovarian neoplasms. Cancer Res 53:4550–4554

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  69. Lin CQ, Singh J, Murata K et al (2000) A role for Id-1 in the aggressive phenotype and steroid hormone response of human breast cancer cells. Cancer Res 60:1332–1340

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Schindl M, Schoppmann SF, Ströbel T et al (2003) Level of Id-1 protein expression correlates with poor differentiation, enhanced malignant potential, and more aggressive clinical behavior of epithelial ovarian tumors. Clin Cancer Res 9:779–785

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Martiny-Baron G, Korff T, Schaffner F et al (2004) Inhibition of tumor growth and angiogenesis by soluble ephb4. Neoplasia 6:248–257

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  72. Wu Q, Suo Z, Kristensen GB et al (2006) The prognostic impact of EphB2/B4 expression on patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol 102:15–21

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Mendiola M, Barriuso J, Redondo A et al (2008) Angiogenesis-related gene expression profile with independent prognostic value in advanced ovarian carcinoma. PLoS One 3: e4051

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrés Redondo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gómez-Raposo, C., Mendiola, M., Barriuso, J. et al. Angiogenesis and ovarian cancer. Clin Transl Oncol 11, 564–571 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-009-0406-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12094-009-0406-y

Keywords

Navigation