Bevacizumab
Bevacizumab, sold under the brand name Avastin, is a medication used to treat a number of types of cancers and a specific eye disease. For cancer, it is given by slow injection into a vein (intravenous) and used for colon cancer, lung cancer, glioblastoma, and renal-cell carcinoma. In many of these diseases it is used as a first-line therapy. For age-related macular degeneration it is given by injection into the eye (intravitreal).
Common side effects when used for cancer include nose bleeds, headache, high blood pressure, and rash. Other severe side effects include gastrointestinal perforation, bleeding, allergic reactions, blood clots, and an increased risk of infection. When used for eye disease side effects can include vision loss and retinal detachment. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that functions as an angiogenesis inhibitor. It works by slowing the growth of new blood vessels by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), in other words anti–VEGF therapy.
Bevacizumab was approved for medical use in the United States in 2004. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It is listed for its use in treating eye disease.
Q12078
cancer
Concept
Q3041498
eye disease
Concept
Q640448
intravenous
Concept
Q188874
colon cancer
Concept
Q47912
lung cancer
Concept
Q282142
glioblastoma
Concept
Q1164529
renal-cell carcinoma
Concept
Q179661
first-line therapy.
Concept
Q27429789
age-related macular degeneration
Concept
Q104843882
intravitreal
UNK
Q202013
nose bleeds
Concept
Q279324
gastrointestinal perforation
Concept
Q42982
allergic reactions
Concept
Q1588755
blood clots
Concept
Q737460
vision loss
Concept
Q625164
retinal detachment
Concept
Q422248
monoclonal antibody
Concept
Q574834
angiogenesis inhibitor
Concept
Q539568
growth of new blood vessels
Concept
Q7916455
vascular endothelial growth factor A
Concept
Q23808471
anti–VEGF therapy
UNK
Q37155
World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines
MEDIA
Q413299
Bevacizumab
Concept
Q413299
Bevacizumab
Concept
Q413299
Bevacizumab
Concept
2004-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2004
DATE
medical condition treated
medical condition treated
instance of