| Summary: | Angiogenesis, the growth of new capillaries from pre-existing vessels, is closely related to processes essential for the organism, which are entirely physiological, for example embryogenesis, reproductive cycle, and wound healing, and is also associated with pathological conditions such as tumor progression, metastasis, diabetic retinopathy, hemangioma, arthritis, psoriasis and atherosclerosis, among other chronic diseases. The development of specific anti-angiogenic agents arises as an attractive therapeutic approach to treat cancer and other angiogenesis-dependent diseases. Many of these agents are being evaluated in clinical trials and have shown promising antitumor activity. This review attempts to provide a comprehensive overview of key knowledge accumulated on angiogenesis and its role in cancer, including the components of signal transduction pathways that have been explored in this process. Additionally, this review focuses on the current approaches for the discovery of new compounds that inhibit angiogenesis, emphasizing on the clinical developmental status of antiangiogenic drugs.
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