What is bevacizumab?
Bevacizumab, whose brand name is Avastin , is an investigational drug. It is a monoclonal antibody (a substance formed in a laboratory that can locate and bind to cancer cells wherever they are in the body) produced from genetically engineered cells. Bevacizumab is designed to specifically block the action of a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Bevacizumab belongs to a family of drugs called antiangiogenic agents, or angiogenesis inhibitors. Angiogenesis inhibitors prevent the formation of new blood vessels that surround and “feed” cancer cells the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow. By depriving cancer cells of their blood supply, angiogenesis inhibitors may be able to reduce tumor cell growth and cause cancerous tumors to grow more slowly or to become smaller. • What is a Treatment Referral Center Protocol? A Treatment Referral Center (TRC) Protocol is a mechanism by which the National Cancer Institute makes an investigational drug available at NCI-designa
