Onkologie. 2010:4(2):133-137

Avastin: a case report

Radka Bittenglová, Miloš Pešek

Klinika TRN FN Plzeň

A 63-year-old hypertensive patient, a life-long smoker, presented to the Department of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease of the

Plzeň Teaching Hospital with a right-lung tumour detected due to pain in the right hemithorax. Based on staging, a diagnosis of stage

IV right lung adenocarcinoma with generalization into both lungs and the left adrenal gland was made.

Chemotherapy with Paclitaxel (200 mg/m2) – Carboplatin (AUC) – Avastin (15 mg/kg) was initiated within the SAIL study of the Roche company

with very good tolerance. Following the third chemotherapy cycle, partial remission was confirmed based on CT of the chest; the same chemotherapy

regimen with Avastin was continued for six cycles. Follow-up CT of the chest revealed further tumour regression. Given the very

good effect of the treatment administered, monotherapy with Avastin was continued in three-week intervals for 22 cycles so far. Following

22 months of Avastin treatment, sustained partial remission was achieved according to PET/CT of the trunk; the patient is clinically free of

complaints, without limitations in everyday life, thus with a very good quality of life (KS of 90) and free of adverse effects of Avastin.

Chemotherapy has no more potential for further extension of survival; therefore, new therapeutic strategies have to be looked for. As an

angiogenesis inhibitor, Avastin leads to an extension of overall survival beyond 12 months. A significant extension of progression-free

survival (PFS) enables longer survival without deterioration of symptoms.

Keywords: bevacizumab, VEGF blockade, progression-free survival, overall survival

Published: May 1, 2010  Show citation