Angiogenic vessels as a potential for targeted therapy in human liver metastases

Primary and secondary liver tumours are a major cause of cancer related deaths worldwide with hepatic metastases outnumbering primary liver tumours by 50:1. Hepatic metastases are particularly common in association with gastro-intestinal tumours. At present surgery offers the only means of cure in these patients. However only a small minority of cases have isolated or small numbers of liver secondaries which are suitable for resection.