Bevacizumab for renal cell carcinoma, glioblastoma, and other solid tumors.

Indications Renal cell carcinoma In July 2009, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for use of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor bevacizumab (Avastin) in combination with interferon alfa for treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Approval was based on results from the BO17705 trial, which demonstrated a 5-month improvement in median progression-free survival (PFS) in the patients treated with bevacizumab.[1] In addition, there were positive published results from the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 90206 trial, a randomized, open-label North American study of bevacizumab plus interferon alfa-2b compared with interferon alfa-2b alone in patients with metastatic RCC. CALGB investigators reported a median progression-free survival (PFS) time of 8.4 months for patients treated with the bevacizumab combination, compared with a PFS time of 4.9 months for patients who received single-agent interferon alfa-2b. An overall survival improvement was not observed.[1] Toxicity with combined bevacizumab and interferon alfa-2b was increased and more severe compared with interferon alfa-2b alone.[2] Proteinuria occurred in 20% of patients with a median onset of 5.6 months, and median time to resolution was 6.1 months.