17/01/2012
Women with ovarian cancer have been given new hope after doctors got the go-ahead to treat them with a drug that stops tumour growth.
Bevacizumab, also known as Avastin, is the first medicine in 15 years that has been shown to improve the outcome for those suffering the disease, experts revealed.
Campaigners welcomed news the drug was given approval for use in Britain by European medical chiefs.
Louise Bayne, chief executive of the charity Ovacome, said: “We are delighted. This heralds a new era of hope for women with ovarian cancer who have previously been faced with a devastating diagnosis plus a lack of innovative treatments.”
The drug has been licensed for use against bowel, breast, lung and kidney cancer but scientists found it halted ovarian growths.
In women with advanced tumours who were given Avastin and chemotherapy, their illness did not deteriorate for 18.2 months compared to 12 months for those who just had chemo. The drug works by stopping the tumours forming blood vessels.
Consultant oncologist Dr Timothy Perren, from St James’ Hospital, Leeds, said: “Ovarian cancer has the worst outcomes of all gynaecological cancers and halting disease progression for six months is a major step forward in treating it.”
But Ovarian Cancer Action boss Gilda Witte said more work needed to be done to diagnose the disease earlier and save more lives.