We can do this because tumor blood vessels are unlike normal, healthy vessels we see in other places of the body they're abnormal, they're very poorly constructed, and because of that, they're highly vulnerable to treatments that target them.

So, if angiogenesis is a tipping point between a harmless cancer and a harmful one, then one major part of the angiogenesis revolution is a new approach to treating cancer by cutting off the blood supply.

In effect, when we give cancer patients antiangiogenic therapy here, an experimental drug for a glioma, which is a type of brain tumor you can see that there are dramatic changes that occur when the tumor is being starved.

So we created a cocktail of antiangiogenic drugs that could be mixed into his dog food, as well as an antiangiogenic cream, that could be applied on the surface of the tumor.

No spots. No clots, no tumors.

In fact, if you actually block angiogenesis and prevent blood vessels from ever reaching cancer cells, tumors simply can't grow up.

It was a rare gem a brain tumor, hemangioblastoma the gift that keeps on giving.

Tumors?

That's counterindicative for a hemorrhagic tumor.

And the bottom curve is the weight of a normal mouse.

So I went back to the biology of angiogenesis, and started thinking

The cancer.

And the first thing that makes me think is that blood vessels are like highways for the tumor cells.

Stop the treatment, it gains the weight back.

Women suffer from that disease.

And one afternoon, I got a call from my doctor.

What is it? A tumor?

So the surgeon can see inside the patient, through their lens, where the tumor is, where the blood vessels are.

(Applause)

And in these situations, angiogenesis is out of balance.

However, in the presence of the tumor, now there are molecular scissors that can break this molecule apart right there at the cleavable site.

So on. So this example...

His veterinarian only gave him three months to live.

In other words, we can't create supermodel mice.

There are antiangiogenic treatments that are FDA approved, and if you're a cancer patient, or working for one or advocating for one, you should ask about them.

But even before I peel that muscle away, you saw that there was a tumor underneath.

And once those vessels invade the cancer, it can expand, it can invade local tissues, and the same vessels that are feeding tumors allow cancer cells to exit into the circulation as metastases.

We r emoved a tumor fr om her brain.

So the body has the ability to regulate the amount of blood vessels that are present at any given time.

Tom had a brain tumor.

When we put these two probes together ...

As you can see, it's blocking her vision.

The tumor's still small.

But there's been a significant reduction in the tumors.

You have hypothalamus Hamartoma, the doctor feels you need surgery

And now, boom, the tumor labels itself and it gets fluorescent.

So first of all I thought, you know, Wouldn't it be favorable to cancer getting to skeletal muscle? And as well, cancer tumors require a process called angiogenesis, which is really, the tumor recruits the blood vessels to itself to supply itself with nutrients so it can grow.

So it's easy to see this tumor in the upper part of this fatty breast.

The molecule passes through and gets excreted.

That's impressive.

How about more targeted therapies for cancer?

Here is an example.

First of all, these electrodes are noninvasive.

You have a secondary tumor in the long bone of your arm

Not unless a tumor is made of glass.