Bevacizumab

The monoclonal antibody bevacizumab is the first in a new class of anticancer drugs called antiangiogenesis agents. Bevacizumab is approved for use as a first-line drug against metastatic colorectal cancer and is given with 5-FU-based chemotherapy. Bevacizumab is infused IV. It attaches to and stops vascular endothelial growth factor from stimulating the formation of new blood vessels. Without new blood vessels, tumors do not receive the oxygen and essential nutrients necessary for growth and proliferation. The most common adverse effects of this treatment are hypertension, stomatitis, and diarrhea. Less common are bleeding in the intestines, protein in the urine, and heart failure. Among the rare serious side effects are bowel perforation, opening of healed wounds, and stroke. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that binds to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and prevents it from interacting with VEGF receptors. VEGF plays a critical role in the angiogenesis required for tumor metastasis. Bevacizumab has activity in colorectal, breast, non-small cell lung, and renal cancer. Adverse effects include hypertension, infusion reactions, arterial thrombosis, impaired wound healing, gastrointestinal perforation, and proteinuria. Ziv-aflibercept also interferes with VEGF function. It is a recombinant fusion protein of the VEGF binding portions from the extracellular domains of human VEGF receptors 1 and 2, fused to the Fc portion of human IgG1.