Women's Health Weekly

New angiogenesis study findings recently were reported by J. Baar and co-researchers

Women's Health Weekly Library Library Home This article was published in Women's Health Weekly, which you can subscribe to online.

"Patients with inoperable breast cancer were randomized to either 2 cycles of preoperative docetaxel (D) 35 mg/m(2) i.v. weekly for 6 weeks, followed by a 2-week break; or docetaxel with bevacizumab 10 mg/kg i.v. every other week for a total of 16 weeks (DB). Plasma and serum markers of endothelial damage, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI), and tumor microvessel density were assessed before treatment and at the end of each preoperative cycle. Forty-nine patients were randomized (DB, 24; D, 25). There was no difference in overall clinical response, progression-free survival, or overall survival. Vascular endothelial growth factor increased during treatment; more so with DB (P < 0.0001). Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) also increased (P < 0.0001); more so with DB (P = 0.069). Intercellular adhesion molecule increased (P = 0.018) and E-selectin decreased (P = 0.006) overall. Baseline levels of VCAM-1 and E-selectin correlated with clinical response by univariate analysis. DCE-MRI showed a greater decrease in tumor perfusion calculated by initial area under the curve for the first 90 seconds in DB (P = 0.024). DCE-MRI also showed an overall decrease in tumor volume (P = 0.012). Bevacizumab plus docetaxel caused a greater increase in vascular endothelial growth factor and VCAM-1, and a greater reduction in tumor perfusion by DCE-MRI compared with docetaxel," wrote J. Baar and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Clinical outcomes of inoperable breast cancer were predicted by changes in VCAM-1 and E-selectin."

Baar and colleagues published their study in Clinical Cancer Research (A Vasculature-Targeting Regimen of Preoperative Docetaxel with or without Bevacizumab for Locally Advanced Breast Cancer: Impact on Angiogenic Biomarkers. Clinical Cancer Research, 2009;15(10):3583-3590).

For additional information, contact B. Overmoyer, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

The publisher's contact information for the journal Clinical Cancer Research is: American Association Cancer Research, 615 Chestnut St., 17TH Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404, USA.

Keywords: United States, Boston, Angiogenesis, Bevacizumab, Biotechnology, Breast Cancer, Breast Carcinoma, Cancer Research, Chemotherapy, Docetaxel, Drug Therapy, Drugs, Experimental Design, Magnetic Resonance, Microvessel Density, Monoclonal Antibodies, Oncology, Pharmaceuticals, Therapy, Treatment, Tumor Vascularization, Women's Health.

This article was prepared by Women's Health Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Women's Health Weekly via NewsRx.com.