TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Verrico, Monica
AU  -  Rossi, Luigi
AU  -  Bianco, Vincenzo
AU  -  Tomao, Silverio
T1  -  Bevacizumab and others. 
Activity and safety of anti-VEGF agents in ovarian cancer
PY  -  2019
Y1  -  2019-07-01
DO  -  10.1701/3197.31744
JO  -  Recenti Progressi in Medicina
JA  -  Recenti Prog Med
VL  -  110
IS  -  7
SP  -  330
EP  -  337
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2038-1840
Y2  -  2026/04/26
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1701/3197.31744
N2  -  Summary. Angiogenesis plays an important role in normal epithelial tissues and malignant ones too. In the last years this phenomenon was extensively investigated in experimental and clinical oncology because there are evidences that it is involved in the diffusion and in metastatic spread of ovarian cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the main actor in the angiogenesis mechanism and plays a strategic role in proliferation and migration of neoplastic cells, impacting significantly on survival and clinical outcome. According to many experimental and clinical suggestions our knowledge about biology of angiogenesis and VEGF have increased leading to the pharmacological development of specific VEGF-targeting agents. This new field of investigation gives to the scientists the opportunity of testing novel therapeutic opportunities in ovarian cancer patients with new targeted agents. Bevacizumab, a humanized anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody, was the first discovered anti-VEGF drug and it is used today for the treatment of different solid tumors. In the last years this agent has been extensively tested in ovarian cancer patients, showing interesting clinical activity and tolerable toxicity profile both in young and old patients. Bevacizumab, combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel and later used as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of stage III or IV epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer following initial surgical resection. Bevacizumab is also used for the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer and fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who received no more than 2 prior chemotherapy regimens. Moreover bevacizumab, combined with carboplatin and paclitaxel or with carboplatin and gemcitabine (and after used as a single agent) is indicated for the treatment of patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. The most accredited guidelines suggest when bevacizumab should be used in the multiagent treatment of advanced and recurrent ovarian cancer. Other anti-VEGF agents, such as the VEGF receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have been extensively tested in ovarian cancer and many other are investigating in order to test their activity and safety respect to bevacizumab. Anti-VEGF agents and PARP inhibitors play today a strategic role in the treatment of ovarian cancer with targeted agents in association with chemotherapy and tailored surgery.
ER  -