Question

why are cancers dependent on angiogenesis for invasion and metastasis

Answer 1

Metastasis is the process of development of secondary malignant growth or increasing malignancy of cancer cells which spread to different organs through invasion. Here angiogenesis is the fundamental process by which metastasis will be occurred.

In general terms, angiogenesis is the process of formation of new blood vessels from existing blood vessels. Hypoxia is the major problem in micro-environment of tumor. In the absence of oxygen and nutrients (hypoxia) tumor cells cannot grow and spread. Hence tumor cells (TAM- tumor associated macrophages) under go angiogenesis and creates new blood vessel at the site of growing tumor. TAM secrets VEGF-A which regulated by the factor Hif-1 at the site of hypoxia. VEGF-A expressed to form new blood vessels which helps to spread inflammation to other cells. The process of metastasis and invasion of tumor is depends on angiogenesis.