Bevacizumab in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Abstract

Increased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have been associated with a poor prognosis for patients with breast cancer. In addition to its prognostic role, VEGF is also a validated target in the treatment of this disease. Bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF antibody, has demonstrated significant clinical benefit in several solid tumors, including breast cancer. Its use in combination with either paclitaxel or docetaxel has prolonged progression-free survival and increased response rates in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic, HER2-negative breast cancer. In this paper, the clinical trials establishing bevacizumab use for the treatment of breast cancer are reviewed.