For the past ten years, the continued use of bevacizumab (Avastin) therapy in the first-line treatment of ovarian cancer has reportedly improved patient survival rates. However, the initial clinical trials supporting this assertion restricted bevacizumab to approximately 15 months of therapy, so it was unclear if prolonged administration of bevacizumab beyond the 15-months period would further benefit patient outcomes.
In a phase 3 trial (the BOOST study), 927 patients were randomly assigned to the standard of care (platinum-based chemotherapy) with 15 months of bevacizumab vs standard of care with 30 months of bevacizumab.
The study findings indicated that there was no additional survival benefit derived from the 30 months of bevacizumab. Therefore, if one is using bevacizumab as a maintenance strategy in the first-line setting, following a response to platinum-based chemotherapy, the standard of care should be limited to 15 months of bevacizumab.
About Women’s Cancer Research Foundation The Women’s Cancer Research Foundation (WCRF) is one of Southern California’s and the nation’s most active research organizations for female cancers. We are dedicated to serving the interests of patients, families, and friends affected by women’s cancers. WCRF partners with physician-scientists nationally to make differences in women’s lives by offering hope, strength, and progress.
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