New Mayo Clinic Study: Avastin Boosts Survival in GBM

Some interesting and positive news was released today regarding Avastin.

A team of Mayo Clinic researchers published the results of a study that compares GBM patient survival before and after the approval of Avastin in 2009.

This study is different than the two clinical trials that have drawn our attention most recently – the first by Genentech and the second by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. Both of those studies looked only at the patients enrolled in their specific trial and, while they both showed notable improvements in Progression Free Survival, neither showed an increase in Overall Survival.

In this study, however, the authors looked at survival statistics for a much broader and more general GBM patient population. They focused first on 2008, the year before Avastin approval, and then they focused on 2010, the year after approval. The intent was to see if the approval and adoption of Avastin therapy affected survival in the overall GBM patient population. The authors found that there was a “highly significant” increase in GBM patient survival in the year after Avastin was approved.

For more information, please click here to access the full article from Medscape.