Neoplasia of the arterial wall: role in atherosclerosis.

An alternative means of investigating atherosclerosis is suggested in the hope that this will lead to preventative and therapeutic measures more successful than current approaches. A putative link between arterial atherosclerotic lesions and neoplasia, suggesting that arterial plaques are monoclonal in origin, is discussed. If plaques do minic a neoplastic process, it is possible to look at many conventially accepted aspects of arterial disease in a new light. This is particularly the case with the role of diet, smoking and how the disease might be prevented or treated at an early stage or how the process might be reversed.