Avastin: patient feedback

The drug "Avastin" is a modern remedy against tumors. It is used to treat various cancers, helps suppress the appearance of metastasis, reduce microvascular permeability and stop the further development of the disease. Currently, many people with cancer, undergoing treatment with Avastin. Reviews about him are different. There are examples of positive dynamics of treatment of diseases, many reviews and the uselessness of the drug. In some people, "Avastin" causes serious side effects.

Composition

The main active substance of Avastin is bevacizumab. The drug is sold as a concentrate, from which a solution for intravenous infusion is made. "Avastin" is colorless or has a light brown color. For sale, there are two types of Avastin, differing in the concentration of the main active substance: 100 mg / 4 ml and 400 mg / 16 ml.

Indications

The drug is indicated for the following diseases:

• Breast cancer in the last stages, when metastases begin.
• Renal cell carcinoma.
• Cancer of the large intestine.
• Non-small cell lung cancer.
• Glyoblastoma (recurrent).
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a tumor in the near-muscular region, diabetic rhinopathy.
• Currently, the application of "Avastin" in ophthalmology is gaining momentum. Comments on the treatment of eye diseases associated with pathological vascular growth are positive.

Contraindications for use

In accordance with the instructions for the drug is not recommended to use "Avastin" in such cases:

• If the patient has an increased sensitivity to one of the components contained in the preparation.
• During pregnancy and lactation. Studies of the influence of Avastin on this category of patients were not conducted. It is known that drug substances penetrate into the placenta, which can lead to suppression of fetal angiogenesis. Women who are of childbearing age are recommended to use reliable contraceptives for at least six months after the end of treatment with this drug. In addition, if Avastin therapy is necessary, it is recommended to stop breastfeeding, since it can cause disruption of growth and development in the newborn. However, this has not been scientifically proven.
• Childhood.
• With renal and hepatic insufficiency. Studies of the effect of the drug on this category of patients have not been conducted.

Adverse Reactions

Some patients experienced side effects when Avastin treatment was prescribed. The testimonies indicate that the reactions to the drug can be quite serious:

• Perforation of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Hemorrhages, including pulmonary.
• Arterial thromboembolism.

Also contains other side effects on the drug "Avastin" instructions for use. Reviews about them can be found quite often. It:

• Increased blood pressure.
• Appearance of pain and swelling in the abdomen.
• Feeling of weakness.
• Asthenia.
• Heart failure.
• Neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia.
• Appearance of nausea, vomiting, stomatitis.
• Development of anorexia.
• Rectal bleeding.
• Hypoxia.
• Intestinal obstruction.
• Rhinitis, shortness of breath.
• The skin becomes dry and changes color.
• Visual impairment.
• Weakness in muscles.
• Development of urinary tract infection.
• The body temperature increases.
• Pain with different localization.
• Sepsis - infection of the body.
• The level of hemoglobin decreases.

special instructions

When treating Avastin and at the end of its use for another half a year, it is recommended to use contraceptives. The appointment of the drug, as well as determining its dosage can only be done by an experienced qualified specialist. The drug is incompatible with the solution of dextrose.

Application

The drug "Avastin" is administered exclusively in / in the drip, the introduction of / into the jet is strictly prohibited. Dosage depends on the type of disease. The solution of "Avastin" must be done exclusively in conditions of maximum sterility. The proper dosage of "Avastin" should be diluted to 100 ml with 0.9% sodium chloride solution (for patients with high weight the total volume should be 200-250 ml).

The first infusion of Avastin should last for 90 minutes. The drug should be used after chemotherapy. If he came up after the first injection, then the second infusion can be done 60 minutes, and the third time - 30 minutes. If side effects occur, the developers are not advised to reduce the dose of the drug. If there is a need, then it is necessary to suspend Avastin treatment for a while or to stop it altogether.

Overdose

When Avastin is prescribed in the maximum dosage (20 mg / kg body weight with a break of 2 weeks), the symptoms of overdose may appear in patients. Some patients developed attacks of severe migraine. Side effects could increase.

Storage conditions

The temperature of storage of the drug is 2-8 degrees Celsius. Shelf life is a maximum of 24 hours. Avastin should not be frozen and shaken. The solution does not contain preservatives, so if it remains, it must be destroyed.

Controversial points: positive and negative reviews about the drug. Whom to believe?

The drug "Avastin", reviews of which are found both positive and absolutely negative, are increasingly appointed by doctors every year. Scientifically proven its clinical effectiveness in the treatment of many cancers.

To judge the effectiveness of treatment of patients can be, after reading the information on the treatment with Avastin. Patient Reviews Consider in more detail below.

This medicine has a fairly high price. On average, it starts with 15 thousand rubles. Therefore, when patients with serious illnesses face the appointment of the treating doctor of this drug, they immediately begin to look for information about the Avastin drug , reviews of patients using this drug, and instructions for its use.

Most often you can find information about the arbitrary treatment of "Avastin" of extremely severe cases. We must not forget that not always the doctor prescribes the drug, carefully evaluating all the nuances that fixes the drug "Avastin" instruction. Reviews on the positive effects of the drug in these cases - a rare phenomenon. We need to be careful about our health and remember that treatment of such serious diseases as cancer should be performed only by a highly qualified specialist.

In each specific situation, there are many reasons why Avastin could not approach the patient and ease the course of the disease. Therefore, one must think objectively, and not be guided only by negative feedback.

Let us consider some opinions on the treatment with this drug.

Reviews about the drug "Avastin"

As noted above, reviews about this drug are very controversial. However, many patients note that significant progress has been made in the treatment of the disease. In some, there is a decrease in the size of the tumor. But, unfortunately, full recovery is not expected. Avastin is only able to prolong the patient's life and make it more comfortable.

There are many cases of side effects. Most often there is an increase in headaches, jumps in blood pressure. "Avastin" shots in the eye in some patients led to poor eyesight and even complete blindness.

In the US, there was a serious scandal over the use of Avastin for the therapy of macular degeneration. Injections of the drug into the vitreous have led to the emergence of a full set of side effects. At the same time, 16 patients had serious infections in the eyeball. Some people developed absolute blindness. But Avastin continues to be used both in the US and in Europe. Such a wide application of the drug is not due to indications, it is not due to illegal promotion, but to the cheapness of the drug compared to the legal "Lucentis" approved for the treatment of retinal dystrophy.

The difference in the price of these drugs is significant. While in the US the price for Avastin is $ 50, the price of Lucentis is $ 2,000. Note that in terms of the appearance of complications and side effects, as well as the development of endophthalmitis, "Lucentis" is not ideal. That is why many people risk and buy an unofficial Avastin.

According to many doctors, it's all about the technique of introducing funds. It is necessary to conduct research in this area. Some of them have already been made. Thus, a comparison was made between the effects of bevacizumab and ranibizumab (active substances of Avastin and Lucentis, respectively). There have been two studies, but their results have been controversial, because in the course of the first, bevacizumab proved to be safer, and in the second, ranibizumab.

For today in Russia the preparation is forbidden for application in ophthalmology. But still you can find a seller and a doctor who will make an injection. Ophthalmologists prefer the inexpensive Avastin, since commerce continues to flourish in domestic medicine. It's much easier to get the patient's attention to a cheaper option.

It should be noted that in many patients with AMD, there were significant improvements after they had injected Avastin into the eye. Feedback on the dynamics of treatment is positive. For a few injections of the drug, the swelling of the eye subsided, an improvement in visual acuity was observed. Therapy does not have a positive effect immediately, but after side effects have passed. In addition, to expect a visible positive effect after the first injection of the drug is completely pointless.

"Avastin" + chemotherapy: reviews, treatment

In contrast to the conflicting reviews on the use of the drug in ophthalmology, studies have shown the effectiveness of Avastin in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of colorectal cancer. With the use of standard chemotherapy regimens, Avastin helps to reduce the size of the large intestine tumor. In addition, such therapy leads to the disappearance of metastases in the liver in 78% of patients. As a result, about a third of the patients had the opportunity to undergo an operation that, if positive, could save their lives.

Also in the course of the study, it was found that Avastin is as effective for elderly patients as for young patients.

Application together with the drug capecitabine contributes to an increase in the life expectancy of patients with colorectal cancer for three to five years.

It also helps to prolong life and reduce the formation of metastases in breast cancer and non-small cell lung cancer such a combination: "Avastin" + chemotherapy. Feedback about this treatment is positive. However, the situation is similar: the probability of complete recovery is minimal.

Clinical efficacy

• Colorectal cancer - with joint therapy of Avastin with IFL (irinotecan, fluorouracil, leucovorin) prolongs survival by about 5 months. The use of "Avastin" together with chemotherapy makes it possible to increase life expectancy by about 4 months.
• Metastatic breast cancer. Infusion "Avastin" 10 mg / kg with a break of 2 weeks along with paclitaxel significantly increase the possibility of suspension of the development of the disease. Such treatment at times improves the effect of chemotherapy.
• Non-small cell lung cancer. Treatment with Avastin, together with chemotherapy (based on a platinum drug), improves survival and prolongs life.
• Renal cell carcinoma. The use of "Avastin" together with interferon alpha-2a prolongs the survival period in comparison with the use of only interferon alfa-2a.
• The fourth stage of malignant glioma. After the preliminary radiotherapy treatment "Avastin" allows you to extend life for almost six months.

Thus, "Avastin" is a modern drug designed to treat various tumors. The effect of the drug has not been fully investigated. However, it is increasingly prescribed by doctors in the treatment of many cancers.

"Avastin" is used in ophthalmology, where it gives the most pronounced positive effect in the treatment of AMD. The drug is quite expensive, besides it can cause many side effects. In general, the reviews after the application of "Avastin" are positive, but there are also negative ones.

For some patients, "Avastin" was completely useless, and some caused serious side effects. Therefore, prescribe the drug should only a qualified doctor, with the mandatory consideration of all possible individual reactions of the patient to the components of the drug. In addition, the infusion should be carried out under sterile conditions. Cancer is a serious illness that can lead to death. The use of Avastin does not give a 100% guarantee of recovery, but it can stop the progression of the disease and prolong the life of the patient. And this is for patients with deadly diseases already a big deal!