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Ineffective Breast Cancer Treatment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has counseled that the drug Avastin (bevacizumab) not be used to treat breast cancer, saying it's neither a secure nor effective weapon against the disease.
Though the choice is supported by several within the medical community, some doctors say Avastin ought to stay obtainable. Meanwhile, patients for whom the drug has proven effective are left wondering how this may have an effect on their prognosis.
The FDA’s recommendation doesn't impact Avastin’s use for different kinds of advanced cancer, like colon, lung, kidney and brain cancer. whereas doctors might still prescribe Avastin for breast cancer patients as an off-label use, insurance firms might not be ready to cowl it. this is able to leave patients desirous to continue treatment with an $8,000 a month out of pocket value tag.
After reviewing four clinical studies of Avastin in breast cancer patients, the FDA found that the drug doesn't prolong survival in breast cancer patients. They conjointly found that the advantages of Avastin didn't outweigh the risks. in keeping with their findings, the drug carries a big danger of aspect effects as well as severe hypertension, bleeding, hemorrhaging, heart attack, heart failure, and therefore the development of perforations within the nose, stomach, intestines and different areas of the body.
“Given the amount of great and life-threatening aspect effects, the FDA doesn't believe there's a good risk-to-benefit ratio,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., the FDA's chief of cancer drug review. within the wake of the FDA’s ruling, the eu Medicines Agency announced on Thursday that Avastin would stay obtainable to breast cancer patients throughout the eu Union, however solely when taken together with another drug, Taxol (paclitaxel).
Though the choice is supported by several within the medical community, some doctors say Avastin ought to stay obtainable. Meanwhile, patients for whom the drug has proven effective are left wondering how this may have an effect on their prognosis.
The FDA’s recommendation doesn't impact Avastin’s use for different kinds of advanced cancer, like colon, lung, kidney and brain cancer. whereas doctors might still prescribe Avastin for breast cancer patients as an off-label use, insurance firms might not be ready to cowl it. this is able to leave patients desirous to continue treatment with an $8,000 a month out of pocket value tag.
After reviewing four clinical studies of Avastin in breast cancer patients, the FDA found that the drug doesn't prolong survival in breast cancer patients. They conjointly found that the advantages of Avastin didn't outweigh the risks. in keeping with their findings, the drug carries a big danger of aspect effects as well as severe hypertension, bleeding, hemorrhaging, heart attack, heart failure, and therefore the development of perforations within the nose, stomach, intestines and different areas of the body.
“Given the amount of great and life-threatening aspect effects, the FDA doesn't believe there's a good risk-to-benefit ratio,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., the FDA's chief of cancer drug review. within the wake of the FDA’s ruling, the eu Medicines Agency announced on Thursday that Avastin would stay obtainable to breast cancer patients throughout the eu Union, however solely when taken together with another drug, Taxol (paclitaxel).
Posted in: Breast Cancer
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