An In-vitro and In-vivo Study on the Effect of alpha PLGF in Gynaecological Tumours

Angiogenesis (the process of new blood vessel formation) is essential for tumour growth and metastasis to lymph nodes and other organs in the body. Inhibition of angiogenesis is a new discovery in the treatment of cancer. However, current angiogenesis therapy used in a clinical setting have serious side effects and do not have the desired efficacy. For this reason, there is a need to discover and develop new and complementary angiogenesis inhibitors. Very recently, a new anti-angiogenesis inhibitor, anti-PlGF, was discovered. Anti-PlGF slows down the angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, growth and metastasis of the tumours and does not have the serious side effects associated with current anti-angiogenesis therapy. The effect and therapeutic potential of anti-PlGF has not yet been evaluated and researched for gynaecological tumours. Therefore, this project aims to research PlGF and PlGF inhibition in endometrial, uterine, cervical and ovarian cancer. In this project, there will be a combination of pre-clinical and clinical studies. In-vitro and in-vivo experiments will aim (i) to evaluate the role of PlGF in gynaecological tumour biology en (ii) to establish the pre-clinical potential of anti-PlGF in both a homologous and a heterologous tumour model system. In complementary clinical studies, the prognostic value of (i) plasma PlGF levels, (ii) PlGF immunohistochemistry in the tumour and (iii) genetic variations in the PlGF gene will be determined for  relapse, response to therapy and resistance to the therapy. This project aims to create a scientific background for future use of anti-PlGF in the treatment of patients with gynaecological tumours.
 

Keywords:Gynecological tumours, PIGF

Disciplines:Endocrinology and metabolic diseases, Gynaecology and obstetrics, Nursing

Project type:PhD project