What is 'angiogenesis'?

What is 'angiogenesis'?

Angiogenesis is, by definition, the birth or the growth of blood vessels. That is important, and it tends to be important in certain types of malignancy. Colon cancer is one that is very important in terms of angiogenesis. Certain types of brain tumours have significant blood vessel density. Kidney cancer, Renal Cell Carcinoma, as well has a very high potential of blood vessel density, as well as liver tumours. The type of tumours in the liver that come about when people are diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis C, long time patients with cirrhosis that eventually lead to cancer. All those types of cancer: kidney, liver, colon, brain, and a multitude of others rely on angiogenesis; rely on tumor cell growth, tumor growth based on blood vessel density. In order for a tumor to grow, it needs a blood supply. So the blood supply is maintained by making new blood vessels. If you can't make new blood vessels, then you can't make new tumors, and tumors can't grow.