ASCO Confab: Who's Grabbing the Spotlight?

According to Dr. Hedy Lee Kindler, director of the mesothelioma program at the University of Chicago, mesothelioma patients have the highest level of vascular endothelial growth factor levels of all solid tumor types. Kindler presented data on the Avastin trial.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ramaswamy Govindan of Washington University, says higher VEGF levels indicated a lower chance of survival. Govindan, who presented data on mesothelioma trials involving AstraZeneca's Iressa, said use of that drug also produced disappointing results. Mesothelioma affects about 2,500 people in the U.S. each year, researchers say.

Tarceva Falls Short

Genentech's Tarceva showed lower-than-expected tumor-fighting activity in patients with recurring or refractory metastatic breast cancer, according to researchers at ASCO.

The results of a phase II trial of the efficacy and tolerability of the drug in addition to gemcitabine chemotherapy fell short of expectations based on previous studies. Of 58 patients enrolled in the trial, only 10 saw a partial response characterized by a 50% or more reduction in tumor size after taking the drug. Tarceva had only a modest effectiveness when used alone for metastatic breast cancer, researchers added.

Avastin and Blood Vessel Blockage

Adding Genentech's Avastin to a standard chemotherapy regimen doubles the chance of blood vessel blockage known as an arterial thromboembolism, according to data from a study of 1,745 patients with metastatic colorectal, breast or non-small-cell lung cancer.

Researchers identified a history of the embolisms and an age of more than 65 as independent risk factors of the cancer drug's serious side effect. Avastin is currently approved for the treatment of colorectal cancer.