Hypertension and molecular targeted therapy — complication either biomarker of effective therapy?

Abstract

A few molecular-targeted drugs that inhibit neoangiogenesis were implemented last years. Hypertension is a common side effect of treatment with antiangiogenic agents, and may affect up to 80%
of patients. Poorly controlled hypertension is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular and organ complications and should be diagnosed and treated properly. On the other hand it is observed that
hypertension induced by antiangiogenic therapy is associated with higher probability of clinical benefit in some patients.
It still remains difficult to indicate patients in which the arterial hypertension is likely to occur. No reliable biomarkers which may select this population or clearly correlate with development of hypertension
have been identified. Universal algorithms of diagnosis and treatment of iatrogenic hypertension are not available. Cardiovascular risk factors and other comorbidities should be considered before decision about antiangiogenic therapy. Due to increasing number of drugs with this mechanism of action it is important to create algorithms of diagnosis and treatment. Prospective randomized trials may be crucial to determine
predictive value of arterial hypertension induced by angiogenesis inhibitors.