Antihypertensives as novel antineoplastics: angiotensin-I-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a crucial proangiogenic component in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), and its high expression levels have been correlated with poor prognosis and early postoperative recurrence. Angiotensin II (AngII), which has been shown to increase VEGF production in a variety of cancers, is actively generated in the pancreas. We hypothesized that AngII plays a crucial role in PDA-associated angiogenesis.