Tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis: Tumor/endothelial crosstalk and cellular/microenvironmental signaling mechanisms

Tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis are key features of tumor progression and metastasis. The role of tumor cells-derived factors in the promotion of associated angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis is much studied and, no doubt, very important for the understanding of cancer progression. This review aims to present and discuss the work done on the pro-angiogenic and lymphangiogenic cellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment and the signaling pathways that regulate this crosstalk. Such multifactor studies are critical for the development of future therapeutic approaches for cancer because they take into account the complexities of cellular interactions within the tumor microenvironment. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.