What is angiogenesis and how is it relevant to breast cancer?

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KathyMillerMD (Physician - Oncology - Hematology/Oncology (Verified) ) - 09 / 04 / 2012

Angiogenesis is the growth of blood vessels. It is important for breast cancer and nearly all cancers. In order for a cancer to grow, they need a bigger blood supply to bring in more oxygen and nutrients, as well as to eliminate the tumors metabolic wastes. That bigger blood supply also provides more routes for the cancer to spread elsewhere in the body. In general the more aggressive the tumor, the greater the blood supply. In theory blocking the growth of those blood vessels should be a useful therapy. Unfortunately putting that theory into practice hasn’t been quite so simple.
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