Avastin Study Shows The Drug Doesn't Help Brain Cancer Patients
Researchers had hoped the drug Avastin could be used to treat patients with brain cancer. A study published in The New England Journal Medicine has shown that the drug actually worsened a patient’s quality of life and decreased cognitive function. It also did not add any survival time. Most patients diagnosed with brain cancer did not survive longer than 16 months.
The study was headed by Dr. Arnab Chakravarti, the chairman of radiation oncology at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. He has stated that similar studies need to be researched further and that “a one-glove-fits-all approach is less likely to work.” Previous studies have had mixed results, with some researchers finding that the drug could potentially benefit patients by reducing their negative symptoms, although survival times would not be positively impacted.
Dr. Michael Vogelbaum, who works at the Cleveland Clinic’s brain-tumor center, believes there might be some benefits to using Avastin. “There’s some rationale that supports the hypothesis that Avastin can improve the effectiveness of radiation therapy,” said Vogelbaum. “Furthermore, some studies have shown Avastin can reduce the side effects and risks of radiation treatment. I think that as a salvage therapy, it still has an important role, but this by no means is a cure.”
Other doctors believe that Avastin will likely be less sought after as more studies show that the drug doesn’t increase length of survival. The drug is also expensive, costing patients $5,000 a month for treatment.