KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Avastin (bevacizumab), a type of drug known among others for breast cancer treatment, has been approved by the Health Ministry to be used in combination with standard chemotherapy as a front-line treatment for advanced ovarian cancer.
According to a statement by Roche Malaysia, the good news marked a major advancement in ovarian cancer treatment which was previously limited to surgery and chemotherapy.
“It puts Avastin as the first major treatment in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer in 15 years and this makes it one of few biological drugs indicated for multiple cancer treatments,” the statement said.
It said, a study had shown that women with advanced ovarian cancer who received Avastin, plus chemotherapy and continued on Avastin alone, lived significantly longer without their disease getting worse compared to those who received chemotherapy only.
Ovarian cancer, the most deadly of the gynaecological cancers was ranked eighth in the top 10 most frequently occurring type of cancer, based on the National Cancer Registry 2007, and the fourth most common cancer in Malaysia among females, it said.
The statement added Avastin, which was founded by Roche, acts as an antibody and a key driver to block tumours from spreading and approved by 30 countries for the treatment of several types of cancer, including breast, colorectal and kidney cancer. — Bernama
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