Avastin® Added Safely for Small Cell Lung Cancer

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Avastin® Added Safely to Paraplatin ® and Camptosar® for Small Cell Lung Cancer

According to the results of a study presented at the 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer, the targeted therapy Avastin® (bevacizumab) can be safely added to chemotherapy with Paraplatin® (carboplatin) and Camptosar® (irinotecan) in patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and Europe. The two main types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non–small cell lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer is less common than non-small cell lung cancer.

Extensive-stage SCLC refers to cancer that has spread from the lung to different sites in the body. Approximately two-thirds of patients diagnosed with SCLC have extensive stage SCLC. Treatment for SCLC often includes chemotherapy, but due to suboptimal long-term outcomes, researchers continue to evaluate alternative approaches to treatment.

Avastin is a targeted therapy that blocks a protein known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF stimulates the growth of new blood vessels.

Drugs that interfere with VEGF can slow or stop the growth of cancer cells. In addition, drugs that interfere with VEGF may improve the delivery of chemotherapy to cancer cells by normalizing blood supply.

To explore the safety and efficacy of adding Avastin to chemotherapy with Paraplatin and Camptosar, researchers are conducting a Phase II clinical trial among patients with extensive-stage SCLC. Thus far, 44 out of a planned 50 patients have been enrolled in the study.

Of 32 patients with available information, two experienced a complete disappearance of detectable cancer and 21 experienced a partial disappearance of detectable cancer.

Avastin did not appear to add significantly to the toxic effects of treatment.

This study suggests that Avastin can be added safely to chemotherapy with Paraplatin and Camptosar for the treatment of SCLC. Future reports from this study will provide more information about potential treatment efficacy.

Reference: Spigel DR, Hainsworth JD, Burris HA, et al. Irinotecan, carboplatin, and bevacizumab in untreated extensive stage small-cell lung cancer. Journal of Thoracic Surgery. 2007;2:S391, Abstract D1-05.

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