Folkman Proposes Angiogenesis

Model of Angiogenesis
1971
AD

Dr. Judah Folkman publishes a paper proposing angiogenesis plays a major role in cancer development. Folkman thought preventing angiogenesis could inhibit tumor growth by starving the tumor of vital nutrients. This theory was originally disregarded by most in the field, but is now fully accepted.

The first naturally occurring angiogenesis inhibitor, thrombospondin, was identified in 1989 by Dr. Noel Bouck. Two more natural inhibitors were discovered by Dr. Michael O'Reilly in Folkman's lab, angiostatin in 1994 and endostatin in 1997.1 2

  • 1Folkman J. Tumor angiogenesis: therapeutic implications. New England Journal of Medicine (1971) 285:1182-6
  • 2NOVA: Cancer Warrior. www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/cancer/