Targeting VEGF-Independent Proangiogenic Pathways in Anti-VEGF Refractory Renal Cell Cancer

Dr. Mukhopadhyay's Tumor Angiogenesis and Vascular Biology Lab examines how vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathways can be targeted to treat tumors that have developed resistance to anti-VEGF therapies.

Despite the benefits of VEGF-targeted therapies in clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the majority of patients eventually develop resistance to anti-VEGF therapy. Current evidence suggests that tumors most commonly evade anti-VEGF therapy by making use of VEGF-independent proangiogenic pathways.

Dr. Mukhopadhyay's lab is developing novel treatment strategies to target these pathways for refractory and highly aggressive tumor types and for sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma, a spindle cell phenotype with a poor prognosis due to a modest response to systemic therapy.