Why search for a biomarker for Avastin?
• Biomarkers can generally be characterised as one or both of the following11 • prognostic markers: indicative of the natural course of disease, regardless of therapy • predictive markers: determine likely efficacy of a particular therapy. • Many agents that are widely used for the treatment of cancer (e.g. chemotherapy, immunotherapy) only elicit a response in a proportion of patients, yet are administered to unselected populations. • The identification of a predictive biomarker that can be used to select patients who may benefit from therapy with Avastin is of considerable interest • many trials in the current clinical trial programme include a broad biomolecular sample and testing programme to identify and evaluate potential biomarker candidates.
