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Bevacizumab Combination Therapy

For the First-Line Treatment of Advanced Epithelial Ovarian, Fallopian Tube or Primary Peritoneal Cancer

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Abstract

Bevacizumab is a recombinant, humanized antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibody that neutralizes the biological activity of VEGF and inhibits tumour angiogenesis.

In two pivotal, well designed, phase III, clinical trials (GOG-0218 and ICON7) in women with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, first-line treatment with bevacizumab in combination with standard chemotherapy (carboplatin plus paclitaxel) followed by maintenance treatment with bevacizumab alone significantly prolonged progression-free survival relative to standard chemotherapy.

A subgroup analysis of ICON7 suggested that bevacizumab therapy may also be beneficial in patients at high risk of disease progression.

In GOG-0218, health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) deteriorated temporarily (during the chemotherapy phase) and slightly, although statistically significantly, with bevacizumab in combination with standard chemotherapy followed by bevacizumab maintenance relative to standard chemotherapy plus placebo maintenance. In ICON7, HR-QOL did not differ to a clinically significant extent between patients receiving bevacizumab plus standard chemotherapy followed by bevacizumab maintenance and those receiving standard chemotherapy alone.

Bevacizumab combination therapy had generally acceptable tolerability in these studies, with the nature of adverse events generally similar to that observed in previous clinical trials in patients with other solid tumours.

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Acknowledgements and Disclosures

The manuscript was reviewed by: A. Maneo, Unit of Gynecologic Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Bolognini, Seriate, Italy; M. Markman, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Eastern Regional Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA; F. Muggia, NYU Cancer Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.

The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding. During the peer review process, the manufacturer of the agent under review was offered an opportunity to comment on this article. Changes resulting from comments received were made by the author on the basis of scientific and editorial merit.

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    Sohita Dhillon

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Dhillon, S. Bevacizumab Combination Therapy. Drugs 72, 917–930 (2012). https://doi.org/10.2165/11208940-000000000-00000

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