Avastin - tell me more about it

My DIL was diagnosed May 14, has undergone 4 neoadjuvant treatments and is currently scheduled for surgery at the Mayo September 3.

Meanwhile, MD Anderson had suggested putting her on Avastin prior to surgery. The Mayo says that would have been a terrible idea and would have delayed surgery.

On posts on this site, I've also read that people who've received Avastin seem to have a quicker recurrence.

What is Avastin? What is it designed to do? For my DIL, it had something to do w/pleural effusion. Is it 'just another chemotherapy treatment?' Or is there something special about it, some special way it is supposed to attack the cancer. And does it affect cancer everywhere or is it localized?

[Katie116]

Sorry about that. I thought I was posting this on the doctor's forum.

[JC145]

The only thing I know on Avastin is that my MD said it is good for Ascites ... so may be good for plural effusion as well???

[marie3B]

Avastin definitely would delay surgery.  The ER doc told me I would have to be off Avastin 4 weeks before I had any surgery.  My oncologist felt 6 weeks would be safer.  That is why I had to wait so long to get the gallbadder and tumor out.  Marie

[jane65]

Hi Marie,
I'm curious, is it because there's a bleeding problem with Avastin, or some other reason you'd have to be off of it weeks before surgery?

Also, what were your symptoms that diagnosed your gallbladder problem? I'm asking because of the horrible pains and n/v I had yesterday.

Thanks for the info.
Jane

[marie3B]

They said that the Avastin would make it more difficult to heal after surgery.  I never had any trouble on the Avastin.  They were a bit reluctant to try it since the rectal tumors were already bleeding, but it never hurt me.

Gallbladder symptoms were triggered by the 5-fu chemo.  I had had mild attacks before, but never knew what it was until the chemo caused the gallbladder to spasm on the stones. I went to ER and they diagnosed it as biliary colic.  The main symptom was a pain so bad it made me scream and cry.  It would last for around 15 to 30 min then go away completely until the next attack.  I threw up once from it, it was so bad.  Pain was from under the right ribs, but then went to the middle of my stomach then the whole abdomen.  I also had alternating diarrhea, then severe constipation.  Fatty foods made me hurt more.  I got so a felt a little sick all the time until it was removed.  Seems gallbladder trouble is common in ovca and GI cancer patients.  

Marie

[jane65]

Thanks for that information about Avastin since that and Gemzar may be my next chemo.

My attack is sounding more like gall bladder related from the several comments I've had on a few OVCA forums.

And I agree with you, I also noticed that there does seem to be a lot of gallbladder problems with OVCA and treatments .
Was your surgery open abdomen or lap.?
Jane

[marie3B]

It was open since they were not sure how hard it would be to get the tumor near the liver.  They also wanted to have a look to see what else they might see.  I was only in the hospital 2 days.  I had a 9lb 4 3/4 oz baby with no pain meds.  That was nothing compared to the pain that gallbladder gave me before the surgery.  Marie