Study: Avastin Shows Encouraging Results for Advanced Colorectal Cancer

The experimental angiogenesis inhibitor Avastin, which is designed to slow the growth of tumors by cutting off their blood supply, has shown promising results in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, according to UCLA researchers.

The researchers, reporting in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, said a phase II study of the use of Avastin (bevacizuma) in combination with the standard therapy of fluorouracil (FU) and leucovorin (LV) produced "encouraging" results.

Dr. Fairooz Kabbinavar, a UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center researchers, said Avastin in combination with fluorouracil and leucovorin resulted in higher response rates , longer median time to disease progression , and longer median survival.

"This is a first-ever randomized trial of a potent anti-angiogenic agent, comparing chemotherapy alone to chemotherapy and Avastin in patients with advanced colorectal cancer," said Kabbinavar. "This study could give us a less toxic and a more effective weapon in our growing arsenal of cancer therapies."

"The encouraging results of this randomized trial support further study of bevacizumab 5 mg/kg plus chemotherapy as first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer," the researchers concluded.

Other Sources: Journal of Clinical Oncology