ScienceVEGF

Angiogenesis is essential to tumour development

---

A hallmark of cancer throughout tumour development

While there are many distinct types of cancer (and considerable heterogeneity within each tumour type), there exists a remarkable similarity in the pathological traits that collectively drive tumour growth. Across most, if not all, malignancies, sustained angiogenesis is considered to be one of these central hallmarks of cancer.¹

 

In their seminal review paper, ‘The hallmarks of cancer’, Hanahan and Weinberg proposed six acquired capabilities of cancer cells and gave examples of possible enabling mechanisms.¹

 

---

 

The establishment of ‘sustained angiogenesis’ as one of the fundamental ‘hallmarks of cancer’ is based on more than a century of research. To learn more about these research milestones, view the History of VEGF research section.