Bevacizumab for Advanced Breast Cancer

Abstract

Tumor angiogenesis is an important step in breast cancer development, progression, invasion and metastasis. Proangiogenic factors such as VEGF regulate angiogenesis and are targets for drug development. 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 breast cancer. This review article discusses the clinical trials establishing the use of bevacizumab for the treatment of advanced breast cancer.