What Is Bevacizumab Used For?

Bevacizumab is used for the treatment of colorectal cancer as well as non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer. By binding to and inhibiting a particular protein that encourages the growth of new blood vessels, the drug essentially "starves" the cancer of its blood supply. It is not approved for use in children. Off-label bevacizumab uses include the treatment of other types of cancer, such as brain cancer.

 

What Is Bevacizumab Used For? -- An Overview

Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is a prescription drug that is part of a group of medications known as monoclonal antibodies. It is approved for use in the treatment of the following cancers:
 

Why Is Bevacizumab Used for Lung Cancer?

There are two general types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is much more common than small cell lung cancer. Also, non-small cell lung cancer spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancers can be further divided into those that begin in squamous cells (squamous cell carcinomas) and those that begin elsewhere (non-squamous carcinomas).
 
Surgery is the most common way to treat non-small cell lung cancer. Cryosurgery, a treatment that freezes and destroys cancer tissue, may be used to control symptoms in the later stages of non-small cell lung cancer. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may also be used to slow down the progress of the disease and to manage symptoms.
 
You can read any of the following eMedTV articles to learn more about lung cancer:
 
Bevacizumab is approved to be used in combination with chemotherapy to treat non-squamous, non small cell lung cancer that cannot be surgically removed and that has begun to spread to other parts of the body (metastasized) or that has recurred (come back after it appeared to have gone away). It is approved for use in combination with carboplatin (Paraplatin®) and paclitaxel (Onxol™, Taxol®, Abraxane®) and is considered to be a first-line treatment (which means it can be the first treatment to be tried).
 
(What Is Bevacizumab Used For? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;