Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is a mitogen that plays a crucial role in both angiogenesis and

lymphangiogenesis. VEGF serves a significant role in tumor survival through inducing tumor
angiogenesis and by acting as a survival factor by increasing chemoresistance through autocrine
signaling. Because of its crucial role in tumor formation and survival, several medications have been
developed to inhibit VEGF and reduce blood vessel formation in cancer. Although these medications
have proven to be effective in treating cancer, they have been shown to cause side effects such as
hypertension, artery clots, problems with wound healing, and, more rarely, gastrointestinal perforation
and fistulas. Current research in using anti-VEGF medication as cancer treatment is focusing on the
development of predictive biomarkers that assess whether a patient will respond to VEGF therapy, the
use of anti-VEGF medication in different stages of cancer, and the mechanisms of tumor resistance to
VEGF medication.