Avastin In breast cancer overdue

Implications: Avastin has demonstrated PFS in first line metastatic breast cancer Avastin remains in a non approved status for breast cancer Avastin is very expensive and therefore scrutinized to the max

Analysis: Despite recent data supporting Avastin in breast cancer, organizations such as FDA continue to see the glass half empty as they have with ESA's. The recents trends have been an attempt to cut cancer treatment costs at the excuse of selective trial interpretations. I feel pressure will eventually prevail, but how and when reians an issue. We will only make advances in triple negative breast cancer by adding the biologics, as recent updates and metaanalysis at San Antonio continue to support the notion that dose intensity via SCT will not help. If FDA reviewed Herceptin today in all breast cancer patients, it would kill the drug . It will take time to individualize cancer therapies and this will take clinical studies. I feel the furure on clinical reserch in the US is quickly declining due to the focus of cost savings in the gov. resulting in reduced clinical trials. We cannot just focus on OS advantage or degree of remissions as patients will receive multiple lines of therapies to prevent detection of the former and biologics allow maintenance therapy to support disease control as a viable goal ibn regards to the later.