New treatment option for ovarian cancer in Australia

Australian women with advanced ovarian cancer have a new treatment option for their disease. The anti-cancer treatment, Avastin (bevacizumab), is now approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in combination with chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed (first-line) advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.

Approximately 1,400 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, with up to 75 percent of cases diagnosed in the advanced stage. Each year, 800 Australian women will lose their battle with ovarian cancer. Unlike other cancers, treatment options for ovarian cancer have remained relatively unchanged for the past 15 years with the standard of care limited to various chemotherapy options and surgery.

Professor Michael Quinn, Chair of the Gynaecological Cancer Inter-Group has welcomed the approval for Australian women: “Australian women living with advanced ovarian cancer whose treatment options have been restricted to chemotherapy and surgery can now potentially benefit from a targeted therapy, a form of treatment which has been available for other cancers for a number of years,” he said.

Avastin is a targeted cancer treatment that works by starving tumours of their blood supply, restricting the supply of nutrients that ovarian cancer tumours need to grow and spread throughout the body.

The TGA approved Avastin in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer based on a global clinical study involving 1,873 patients.

“With just 40 percent of women with ovarian cancer likely to survive five years compared to 88 percent of women with breast cancer, we need to have as many new treatment options available to help manage this devastating and insidious disease,” Professor Quinn added.

At this time, Roche is not submitting an application for Avastin in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer to be funded via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The company will re-evaluate options for seeking reimbursement as more data becomes available from the clinical research program.

Patients who have questions about their medical conditions, treatment options, or how to access particular medicines should speak with their treating physicians. Healthcare professionals wantingmore information on how to access Avastin can call Roche Medical Information on 1800 233 950.

About Avastin

Avastin’s safety profile is well-established having been used by more than one million people worldwide. Avastin was shown to be well-tolerated when used for the treatment of newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer and its side-effect profile is consistent with its use in other approved cancer types.

Some of the more common side effects associated with Avastin include raised blood pressure, diarrhoea, fatigue or weakness, abdominal pain and increased protein in the urine. The most serious, but rare, potential side effects are bowel perforation and blood clots.

Avastin is approved by the TGA:

In combination with chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.
As a single agent for the treatment of patients with grade IV glioma with relapse or disease progression after standard therapy, including chemotherapy.
In combination with fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal (advanced bowel) cancer.
In combination with paclitaxel for the first line treatment of metastatic (advanced) breast cancer in patients in whom anthracycline-based therapy is contraindicated .
In combination with interferon alfa-2a for the treatment of patients with advanced and/or metastatic renal (kidney) cancer.
In combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, for first-line treatment of patients with unresectable advanced, metastatic or recurrent, non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer.

Avastin is available on the PBS for first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal (advanced bowel) cancer.

(Source:Cube)