CONTEXT

The role of angiogenesis in tumorogenesis has been hypothesized in 1970s and has been confirmed by many studies since then. The inhibition of this vascular development is the goal of many anti-cancer agents. For example, bevacizumab (Avastin™), a monoclonal humanized antibody, is now indicated to target the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), a key factor of angiogenesis, in multiple types of cancers: colon cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer and renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are among the most vascularized cancers and is a relevant model for anti-angiogenic therapeutic strategies. However, if anti-angiogenic therapies have shown significative results for patients in progression-free survival, the relapse is inevitable. This illustrates the need for an identification of new prognosis markers as well as new therapeutic targets.