Chapter 2
The Biological Background and
Mathematical Model
Any tumor progressing beyond more than a thousand cells must be supported by the for-
mation of capillaries. This process is called angiogenesis. Angiogenesis is an important step
that a tumor undergoes while evolving into a life threatening cancer. At the earlier stage of
cancer when there are only a few cancerous cells, they are all supported by the surrounding
host. However, when the tumor reaches a certain size it needs to develop its own system
of capillaries for its supply of nutrients. The cancerous cells call on proteins that stimulate
angiogenesis and they also develop the ability to produce those kinds of protein. VEGF
(vascular endothelial growth factor) is one of the proteins known to stimulate angiogene-
sis. VEGF enables endothelial cells to penetrate a tumor and start the process of capillary
development. On the other hand by inhibiting this protein we can halt the growth of the
blood vessels which eventually will lead to the reduction of the tumor. Since we are targeting
healthy rather than cancerous cells, no drug resistance will develop. This is the reason why
anti-angiogenesis is a very promising therapeutic approach against cancer. Anti-angiogenesis
is a form of therapy that uses inhibitors of VEGF to stop tumors from growing by targeting
the blood vessels supplying oxygen and nutrients to the tumor cells.
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