[Anti-VEGF therapy with bevacizumab in breast cancer]

The growth of new blood vessels, angiogenesis is important for tumour progression and metastasis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays multiple roles in cancer development. Due to it the VEGF seems to be an optimal therapeutic target in breast cancer therapy. The plasma level of this growth factor is highest early in disease suggests that anti-VEGF agents may provide their greatest benefit in firts-line chemotherapy with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). A phase III trial, E2100 evaluated weekly paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab (Avastin), the specific humanised anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody in patients with previously untreated locally recurrent or MBC, doubling of progression-free survival for all patient subgroups. Bevacizumab is generally well tolerated. The most common adverse events observed in trials hypertension, proteinuria, and wound-healing complications, most of which are grade 1-2 in severity. The registration of bevacizumab for MBC therapy brings new hope for patients. Novel approach of bevacizumab for MBC would be combination chemotherapy and different targeted therapies. Phase III clinical trials of bevacizumab are ongoing in different stages in different settings.