A new study released by the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMCCC) has found that Avastin and Sutent - both of which were recently approved to treat breast cancer – may in fact help the cancer spread over time.
Researchers at the cancer center treated mice with breast cancer using Avastin and Sutent, which both facilitate the process of angiogenesis to stop the growth and formation of blood vessels in order to kill cancer cells. However, the results of the study showed that while the drugs initially slowed tumor growth and even led to shrinkage in some cases, the effect was not long-lasting.
Eventually, tumors that were treated with either drug developed more cancer stem cells to fuel the disease’s growth. Cancer stem cells are often resistant to other forms of treatment.
The researchers attributed this adverse effect to hypoxia, a cellular response to low oxygen, that activated the growth of cancer stem cells.
"This study provides an explanation for the clinical trial results demonstrating that in women with breast cancer antiangiogenic agents such as Avastin delay the time to tumor recurrence but do not affect patient survival,” said study author Dr. Max S. Wicha, the director of UMCCC. “If our results apply to the clinic, it suggests that in order to be effective, these agents will need to be combined with cancer stem cell inhibitors, an approach now being explored in the laboratory,".
The study will appear online in the early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
If you or a loved one have been harmed by a dangerous drug like Avastin or Sutent, call Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation regarding a lawsuit.