How Will I Receive Avastin?

Avastin is given every 3 weeks as an infusion. This means that you will receive Avastin through a small needle in your vein. The first time you are given Avastin, it will take about 90 minutes. If you haven’t had problems with the first infusion, it will take 60 minutes for the second infusion. All additional infusions will take 30 minutes if you didn’t have problems with the second infusion. Your doctor or nurse will monitor you for signs of an infusion reaction that may include high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, a serious allergic reaction, chest pain, headache, tremors, and excessive sweating.

Why might Avastin be continued after stopping carboplatin and paclitaxel (chemotherapy)?

You may experience a side effect from your cancer treatment that may cause you to stop all or a part of your treatment. Because the side effects of Avastin are different than those of carboplatin and paclitaxel (chemotherapy), a member of your health care team can determine which treatment is causing the side effect and adjust your treatment as necessary.

Should you and your health care team decide to stop or hold part or all of treatment with carboplatin and paclitaxel (chemotherapy), you may continue to receive Avastin alone. All clinical studies with Avastin have been designed to continue blocking VEGF for as long as your disease is controlled, or until your side effects become unmanageable. As described in the last section, Avastin may starve your cancer of the nutrients it needs to grow and spread by controlling the growth of blood vessels.

There are some side effects that may require you to temporarily or permanently stop Avastin therapy. Click here to learn more about potential side effects that may require you to stop your treatment. Be sure to report all side effects to your doctor. This way you can decide together on changes to your treatment. To get the best possible result, you should not miss an appointment without talking to your health care team.

Next Page: Take an Active Role

Indication

Avastin, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (chemotherapy), is approved by the FDA for first-line treatment of people newly diagnosed with a common form of NSCLC (unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer).

Serious Side Effects

Avastin can result in the development of a potentially serious, and sometimes fatal, side effect called gastrointestinal (GI) perforation. GI perforation is the development of a hole in the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and fever. Avastin therapy should be stopped if GI perforation occurs.

Treatment with Avastin can lead to slow or incomplete wound healing (for example, when a surgical incision has trouble healing or staying closed). In some cases, this event resulted in fatality. Stop Avastin for at least 28 days before voluntary surgery. Do not start Avastin for at least 28 days after surgery and until the surgical wound is fully healed. Avastin therapy should be stopped in patients who experience slow or incomplete wound healing.

Treatment with Avastin can result in serious and sometimes fatal bleeding. This includes coughing up blood, bleeding in the stomach, vomiting blood, bleeding in the brain, nosebleeds, and vaginal bleeding. People who have recently coughed up blood or have serious bleeding should not receive Avastin.

Please click here for additional important safety information.

Indication

Avastin, in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel (chemotherapy), is approved by the FDA for first-line treatment of people newly diagnosed with a common form of NSCLC (unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer).

Possible Serious Side Effects and Additional Important Safety Information

What is the most important safety information I should know about Avastin?

Avastin can result in the development of a potentially serious, and sometimes fatal, side effect called gastrointestinal (GI) perforation. GI perforation is the development of a hole in the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and fever. Avastin therapy should be stopped if GI perforation occurs.

Treatment with Avastin can lead to slow or incomplete wound healing (for example, when a surgical incision has trouble healing or staying closed). In some cases, this event resulted in fatality. Stop Avastin for at least 28 days before voluntary surgery. Do not start Avastin for at least 28 days after surgery and until the surgical wound is fully healed. Avastin therapy should be stopped in patients who experience slow or incomplete wound healing.

Treatment with Avastin can result in serious and sometimes fatal bleeding. This includes coughing up blood, bleeding in the stomach, vomiting blood, bleeding in the brain, nosebleeds, and vaginal bleeding. People who have recently coughed up blood or have serious bleeding should not receive Avastin.

What are the additional possible serious side effects of Avastin?

Serious side effects with Avastin include:

The formation of an abnormal passage from parts of the body to another part, sometimes fatal. Stop Avastin therapy if this occurs
Stroke or heart problems, which can be fatal. Heart problems include blood clots, mini-stroke, heart attack, and chest pain. Stop Avastin therapy if these occur
Too much protein in the urine, which may lead to kidney problems, sometimes fatal. Your doctor will monitor your protein level and may stop Avastin therapy if your level is too high
High blood pressure. Your doctor will monitor your blood pressure and may start you on medications to control your blood pressure. Temporarily stop Avastin if not controlled with medications. Avastin should be stopped if blood pressure severely spikes or if disturbance of the brain from high blood pressure occurs
Nervous system and vision disturbances. Symptoms may include high blood pressure, headache, seizure, sluggishness, confusion, and blindness. Stop Avastin therapy if these symptoms occur
Infusion reactions. These may include high blood pressure or severe high blood pressure that may lead to stroke, difficulty breathing, decreased oxygen in red blood cells, a serious allergic reaction, chest pain, headaches, tremors, and excessive sweating. Stop Avastin therapy if severe infusion reactions occur

What are the most common side effects of Avastin?

The most common side effects of Avastin that occurred at >10% and at least twice the control rate include nosebleeds, headache, high blood pressure, inflammation of the nose, too much protein in the urine, taste change, dry skin, rectal bleeding, tear production disorder, back pain, and inflammation of the skin.

What should I do if I am pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant?

You should not take Avastin while you are pregnant. If you stop Avastin, you should use a contraceptive for at least 6 months after your last dose before attempting to become pregnant.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking Avastin?

Avastin therapy may not be appropriate for certain people. Talk to your doctor if you:

Are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant. Based on animal data, Avastin may harm the fetus
Are breast-feeding. Avastin may pass into your breast milk
Are undergoing surgery. Avastin should not be given for at least 28 days after surgery and until the surgical wound is fully healed
Are under the age of 18. The safety and efficacy of Avastin in children have not been evaluated

Please see full Product Information, including Serious Side Effects, for additional important safety information.