Bevacizumab In Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States (excluding skin cancers). Overall, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about five percent. Up to 20% of the patients are diagnosed at stage IV, with metastasic sites beyond the colon/rectum and regional lymph nodes. The majority of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) cannot be cured, and treatment is palliative and generally consists of systemic chemotherapy and biological therapy, including VEGF inhibitors. Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF activates the major pathways involved in tumor angiogenesis. It causes endothelial cell survival, migration and permeability, and stimulates the growth of blood vessels that feed the tumor. Bevacizumab has been shown in randomized trials to improve progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) when combined with standard first and second-line chemotherapy protocols in mCRC. Bevacizumab has also been approved by the FDA for use in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (based on improved OS), kidney cancer (as it showed an improvement in PFS), and glioblastoma multiforme (bevacizumab has improved response rate.

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Last date updated on September, 2024