Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Antiangiogenic therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of breast cancer. In practice, however, only a subset of patients who receive antiangiogenic drugs demonstrate a significant response. A key challenge, therefore, is to discover biomarkers that are predictive of response to antiangiogenic therapy. To address this issue, we have designed a window-of-opportunity study in which bevacizumab is administered as a short-term first-line treatment to primary breast cancer patients. Central to our approach is the use of a detailed pharmacodynamic assessment, consisting of pre- and post-bevacizumab multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging scans and core biopsies for exon array gene expression analysis. Here, we illustrate three intrinsic patterns of response to bevacizumab and discuss the molecular mechanisms that may underpin each. Our results illustrate how the combination of dynamic imaging data and gene expression profiles can guide the development of biomarkers for predicting response to antiangiogenic therapy.

Original publication

DOI

10.1093/jncimonographs/lgr027

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr

Publication Date

2011

Volume

2011

Pages

71 - 74

Keywords

Angiogenesis Inhibitors, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized, Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols, Bevacizumab, Biomarkers, Tumor, Biopsy, Needle, Breast Neoplasms, Chemotherapy, Adjuvant, Contrast Media, Female, Gadolinium DTPA, Gene Expression Profiling, Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neoadjuvant Therapy, Predictive Value of Tests, Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Treatment Outcome, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A