Dr. Coleman on Bevacizumab Across Tumor Types

Robert L. Coleman, MD, FACOG, FACS, professor, Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses how bevacizumab could be effective in tumor types beyond ovarian cancer.

Bevacizumab, Coleman explains, has the potential to be added to chemotherapy. Unanswered questions surrounding bevacizumab, however, regard the understanding of mechanisms that drive its resistance, what therapies it could be combined with, and selecting patients who will have maximum benefit.

Bevacizumab has unique effects in the microenvironment; different dosages will have varying effects, Coleman adds.

Previous data show that in the immune phenotype of the ovarian cancer patient population, bevacizumab may be necessary for an appropriate treatment plan.

However, Coleman cautions, even with bevacizumab, the one-drug-treats-all mindset should not be used.