One Man's Quest To Cure Cancer

Small, dormant tumors grow and become dangerous by attracting new blood vessels, a process called angiogenesis.

1 Dormant tumor Initially, tumor cells die as fast as they reproduce. Without a blood supply they remain about the size of a pea.

2 Vascularization Some tumors produce inducer proteins that spark new blood-vessel growth, bringing nutrients and oxygen.

3 Growth and metastasis As a tumor grows, cells can break off and travel through the new vessels, seeding distant tumors.

4 Suppression While inducing growth of nearby vessels, the main tumor releases inhibitors that control the new tumors.

5 Anti-angiogenic therapy Agents that shut down blood-vessel growth wither the capillaries and starve the tumor.