Bevacizumad or Avastin is a monoclonal Antibody against Vascular endotheilial Growth Factor.its is used in the treatment of cancer ,Where it inhibits tumour growth by blocking the formation of new blood vessels(angiogenesis).
Clinical use Bevacizumab was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2004 for use in metastatic colorectal cancer when used with standard chemotherapy treatment. It was approved by the EMEA in January 2005 for use in colorectal cancer. Israel has also approved the use of bevacizumab.
Subscribe in a reader In 2006, the FDA approved bevacizumab for use in lung cancer in combination with standard first-line chemotherapy. A study conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) demonstrated a 2-month improvement in overall survival in patients with Stage IIIb/IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Due to the observance of severe pulmonary hemorrhage in patients with NSCLC with squamous histology in an earlier study, patients with such histology were excluded from the pivotal ECOG trial.
Avastin in Brain Cancer Treatment In 2008, the FDA approved Bevacizumab for use in breast cancer. A panel of outside advisers voted 5 to 4 against approval, but their recommendations were overruled. The panel expressed concern that data from the clinical trial did not show any increase in quality of life or prolonging of life for patients - two important benchmarks for late-stage cancer treatments. The clinical trial did show that bevacizumab reduced tumor volumes and showed an increase in progression free survival time. It was based on this data that the FDA chose to overrule the recommendation of the panel of advisers. The decision was lauded by patient advocacy groups and some oncologists. Other oncologists felt that granting approval for late-stage cancer therapies that did not prolong or increase the quality of life for patients would give license to pharmaceutical companies to ignore these important benchmarks when developing new late-stage cancer therapies.
Bevacizumab is usually given intravenously through the arm every 14 days. In colon cancer, it is given in combination with the chemotherapy drug 5-FU (5-fluorouracil), leucovorin, and oxaliplatin or irinotecan.
Bevacizumab has also demonstrated activity in renal cell cancer and ovarian cancer when used as a single agent.
January 20, 2007: Researchers reported at the 2007 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium that a trial of bevacizumab as an addition to chemotherapy has shown no improvement in survival of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. It may cause higher rates of high blood pressure, bleeding in the stomach and intestine, and intestinal perforations.
On December 5, 2007, the FDA voted 5-4 that bevacizumab's risks outweighed its benefits for women with advanced breast cancer.
Side effects
Bevacizumab inhibits the growth of blood vessels, which is part of the body's normal healing and maintenance. The body grows new blood vessels in wound healing, and as collateral circulation around blocked or atherosclerotic blood vessels. One concern is that bevacizumab will interfere with these normal processes, and worsen conditions like coronary artery disease or peripheral artery disease.
The main side effects are hypertension and heightened risk of bleeding. Bowel perforation has been reported. In advanced lung cancer, less than half of patients qualify for treatment.Brain capillary leak syndrome, nasal septum perforation, and renal thrombotic microangiopathy have been reported
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