Targeting vascular endothelial growth factor with the monoclonal antibody bevacizumab inhibits human hepatocellular carcinoma cells growing in an orthotopic mouse model

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer related death worldwide. Liver resection or transplantation is curative for a subset of patients with localized disease, but treatments for advanced disease are generally toxic and ineffective. Aberrant expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in the progression of HCC and represents a valid target for anticancer therapy....