Taxol+Avastin Greatly Slowed Progression of Breast Cancer

Filed in archive Cancer , Studies , Treatment on December 30, 2007

Such were the highly positive results reported from the first nationwide clinical study showing the benefits of an antiangiogenic agent in breast cancer therapy.

The study enrolled 722 women with metastatic disease from the United States, Canada, peru and South Africa. Patients were randomized to one of two arms of the phase III study - Taxol alone or Taxol with Avastin.

The patients, who joined the study from December 2001 through May 2004, represented a balance of age, disease-free interval, estrogen-positive receptors and sites of disease.

The results show that treatment with Taxol and Avastin increased the period patients went without progression of their disease from 5.9 months to 11.8 months.

According to Dr. Melody Cobleigh, co-author of the study and director of the Coleman Foundation Comprehensive Breast Center at Rush:

"This therapy is a one-two punch! You hit the tumor with the chemo and sabotage new blood vessel growth by restricting its oxygen supply with Avastin.

This is a noteworthy advance in cancer treatment.

The tumor can't grow bigger than the size of a sesame seed without an oxygen supply. And patients can stay on Avastin as long at it works. It is not a chemotherapy drug so it has minimal toxicity. "

A human monoclonal antibody that acts to reduce the development of blood vessels that feed tumors - Avastin - a product of Genentech, has already been approved by the FDA for the treatment of colorectal and lung cancer.

On the other hand, Taxol is a cancer medication that interferes with the growth of cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body.

What a great combination it seems!

Find more details from Science Daily.

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