Combination of vascular disrupting agents and ionizing radiation

Abstract

Vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) are a relatively new class of drugs that target tumor vasculature and induce tumor blood flow shutdown and subsequent necrosis in the tumor core. The first generation of these agents is actively evaluated in clinical trials, whereas new molecules are developed in order to enhance efficacy and to overcome resistance mechanisms. VDA used as a single agent only cause a moderate tumor growth delay. So, strategy aiming at combining VDA to conventional cancer treatments is undergoing extensive investigations. A special emphasis has been put on combination with chemotherapeutic agents. Besides, numerous preclinical studies have also clearly established that the association of VDA to radiotherapy can improve antitumor treatment and may lead to a therapeutic gain. However, up to date, there is a lack of clinical trials evaluating such combinations, whereas it would be of great interest since radiotherapy is widely used as anticancer treatment.