Holy cats! I just read a rather unsettling Science Daily article (see: http://tinyurl.com/au9kzb). A new study shows that angiogenesis-inhibiting drugs may turn a blissful “well-fed” cancer into an angry aggressive type.

A group of U.S. and Spanish researchers found that mice first infected with pancreatic cancer and glioblastoma and then treated with the anti-angiogenic drug sunitinib responded rather well in the beginning…but, after a few weeks, there was an adaptive response by the tumor. The glioblastomas increased invasion into adjacent normal tissue. The pancreatic tumors also became more invasive and, in addition, metastasized to the liver.

This study suggests that tumours have a remarkable ability to develop survival strategies. If their blood supply is cut off, they will find other ways to feed themselves and survive…apparently, by spreading and becoming more dangerous. A scary thought indeed.

This article led me to reflect, once again, on the use of aggressive treatments versus gentler, less invasive ones…