Avastin

Brand name: Avastin

Chemical name: Bevacizumab

Class: Antiangiogenesis targeted therapy. There are no other antiangiogenesis medicines used to treat breast cancer.

How it works: Antiangiogenesis medicines block the growth of new blood vessels into a tumor, choking off the blood supply to cancer cells.

Uses: Avastin is used in combination with Taxol to treat metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer that hasn't been treated with chemotherapy.

How it's given: Avastin is given intravenously.

Side effects:

• nosebleeds
• high blood pressure
• proteinuria (too much protein in the urine, a possible sign of kidney malfunction)
• fatigue
• low white blood cell count
• diarrhea

Read more about Avastin.

Recent Research News on Avastin

Avastin Doesn’t Affect Overall Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Avastin Ups Blood Clot Risk

Avastin Seems to Offer Benefits in Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer