Bevacizumab, an anti-cancer doubles the risk of gastrointestinal perforation

A note of Europe Press, mentions that a study by Cancer Center at Stony Brook University published in the online edition of the journal Lancet Oncology ’stresses that the cancer doubles the risk of bowel perforation.

The perforation in the stomach or intestines caused the death of more than 20 percent of cancer patients taking the medicine study and was more common in those suffering from advanced colorectal cancer and renal cancer.

Bevacizumab belongs to a class of medicine called angiogenesis inhibitors that slow the growth of tumors by cutting off its blood supply.

The medicine is beneficial in the treatment of many cancers including colorectal, renal cell cancer non-small cell lung and breast.

The researchers, led by Wu Shenshong, conducted a meta-analysis of 17 trials in which 12,294 involved patients with a variety of solid tumors to evaluate the role of bevacizumab in gastrointestinal perforation. The authors also examined whether the dose or have a specific type of cancer is associated with increased risk of perforation of the stomach or intestines.

The findings showed that the incidence of gastrointestinal perforation was 0.9 percent with a risk two times greater in patients receiving the medicine compared with controls, and a mortality of 21.7 percent in those who developed the perforation. The probability of occurrence of the disorder depended on the dose. Thus, smaller amounts of bavacizumab increased the risk of gastrointestinal perforation in 61 per cent (2.5 mg / kg per week) and increased by 167 percent (5 mg / kg per week).