From the Guidelines
Avastin, also known as bevacizumab, is a targeted cancer therapy that works by blocking the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow and spread, and it is primarily used to treat various types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, with the most recent evidence suggesting its use in combination with chemotherapy improves survival and progression-free survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer 1.
Key Points
- Avastin is an angiogenesis inhibitor that blocks the formation of new blood vessels, thereby inhibiting tumor growth and spread.
- It is used to treat various types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, cervical cancer, and certain types of ovarian cancer.
- The medication is typically administered as an intravenous infusion every 2-3 weeks, with dosing based on body weight and the specific cancer being treated.
- Common side effects include high blood pressure, fatigue, bleeding, slow wound healing, and protein in the urine, while more serious but less common side effects can include blood clots, gastrointestinal perforations, and severe bleeding.
- Patients receiving Avastin should have regular blood pressure monitoring and urine tests to check for protein, and an interval of at least 6 weeks between the last dose of bevacizumab and any elective surgery is recommended 1.
Evidence-Based Recommendations
- The use of bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival and progression-free survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, with a median overall survival of 23.2 months and a median progression-free survival of 10.8 months 1.
- Bevacizumab has specific class-related side effects, including hypertension, proteinuria, arterial thrombosis, mucosal bleeding, gastrointestinal perforation, and wound healing problems, but does not increase chemotherapy-related side effects 1.
- There are no validated predictive molecular markers available for bevacizumab, and its use should be considered in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, in combination with chemotherapy, to improve outcome 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
Avzivi (bevacizumab-tnjn) is biosimilar to AVASTIN ® (bevacizumab) Bevacizumab-tnjn is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor. Bevacizumab-tnjn is a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that contains human framework regions and murine complementarity-determining regions.
Avastin is bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor. It is a recombinant humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody. 2 2
From the Research
Definition and Mechanism of Avastin
- Avastin, also known as bevacizumab, is a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to inhibit tumor angiogenesis 3.
- It is used to treat various types of cancer, including metastatic colorectal cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and ovarian cancer 4, 5, 6.
Clinical Use and Efficacy
- Avastin has been shown to improve progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with advanced cancer when used in combination with chemotherapy 4, 3.
- It has been approved for use in various cancer types, including metastatic colorectal cancer, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and ovarian cancer 4, 5, 6.
- The addition of Avastin to chemotherapy has been shown to increase median progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer 3.
Safety and Tolerability
- Avastin has a well-defined tolerability profile, with common adverse events including hypertension, proteinuria, hemorrhage, wound healing complications, arterial thromboembolism, and gastrointestinal perforation 4.
- These adverse events are generally manageable, and Avastin is considered to be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with advanced cancer 4, 3.