"Avastin" preparation: patient reviews, instructions for use, side effects
The drug "Avastin" is considered an antitumor agent, which refers to monoclonal antibodies. During the application of the drug, the metastatic progression of pathology and microvascular permeability decreases with different kinds of malignant tumors, especially those relating to the breast in women, the colon, and also the pancreas and the prostate gland.
Composition of the drug
The drug "Avastin" is produced in the form of a concentrate that is intended to prepare a solution for infusions, it can be colorless or with a slightly subtle brownish tinge.
The main substance of the drug is bevacizumab. This product is available in packs of 100 mg, where 4 ml of the active substance, and 400 mg / 16 ml. 
Pharmacological action
"Avastin" is a drug against tumors, which slows the formation of new vessels supplying nutrients and oxygen to the tissues of the neoplasm, and thus allows the transfer of a malignant tumor from an aggressive stage to a chronic one."Avastin"( reviews of patients and doctors - this is confirmation) is acting overwhelmingly on metastases of various malignant tumors.
It is characteristic for this remedy to spread in tissues in a minimum amount, besides this, it is removed from the body for a long time, which allows to maintain the required amount of the main component of the drug, introducing it strictly according to the instructions - once every 14-20 days. Drug is not output through the liver or kidneys, but through all the cells of the body for 18 days in men, and in women - 20.
But is "Avastin" good? Patients' opinions say that this is a very effective drug if combined with chemotherapy for various types of cancer. This drug significantly increases the survival period in all groups of patients, with the progression of the disease does not occur. 
"Avastin": indications for use
This drug is widely used in the therapy of cancer. Physicians appoint him:
- With metastatic colorectal cancer. The drug is recommended to be used together with chemotherapy on the basis of "Fluoropyrimidine".
- In metastatic breast cancer. Used as the first line of treatment with Paclitaxel.
- When inoperable, accompanied by the presence of a large number of metastases or non-planar, non-small cell lung cancer formation - as the first line of treatment in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy.
- With progressing or metastatic cancer affecting kidney cells - as a means for primary therapy in conjunction with "Interferon alfa-2a."
- In combination with radiotherapy and "Temozolomide" in patients who have just been diagnosed with glioblastoma in monotherapy or together with "Irinotecan" in patients with recurrence of glioblastoma or with the progression of cancer.
- Patients diagnosed with "malignant formation of female genital organs", and with primary peritoneal cancer. In this case, it is recommended to prescribe Avastin as the first treatment therapy in conjunction with Carboplatin and Paclitaxel.
In addition, the drug is administered in conjunction with "Carboplatinum" and "Gemcitabine" with a progressive disease or sensitive to platinum-based drugs with women with genital or peritoneal cancer who have not previously been treated with this drug or another type of VEGF inhibitor. 
How correctly to enter "Avastin"?
"Avastin"( reviews of patients and doctors confirm this) - a good drug, but it must be properly administered, and only under the supervision of a doctor. It is strictly forbidden to enter a jet - only intravenously, and then as slowly as possible. The calculation is 5 mg per 1 kg of body weight once every two weeks.
The required amount of concentrate is diluted in 100 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride. The first dose is recommended to be administered one and a half hours after the chemotherapy, then the "Avastin" injection is done before or after the procedure. If the patient's first administration of the drug was carried out without complications, then it can be administered further within an hour, and all subsequent injections - for half an hour, but only if the second injection was transferred to the patient well.
The dose of the drug, even with undesirable effects, is not recommended, if necessary, the treatment is suspended or discontinued.
If a patient has metastatic colorectal cancer, the initially recommended dose is 5 mg per kg of body weight once every 14 days or 7.5 mg / kg, but every 21 days. If the second line of therapy, the dose is increased by 2 times.
If a woman has been diagnosed with breast cancer, in this case, as the first injection, it is recommended to count the drug at 10 mg / kg and inject every two weeks. Or three, but in this case 15 mg per kg of body weight is taken.
If there are signs of progression of the pathology, the treatment is discontinued.
In the case of a common inoperable, metastatic or recurrent non-malignant or non-small-cell cancers in the lung, treatment is carried out together with chemotherapy with Pt drugs( no more than 6 cycles), and then the drug is used as monotherapy.
If signs of progression of cancer appear, Avastin should be discontinued. Instruction for use reads: if there is no progression, then the calculation is 7.5 mg / kg every 14 days or the dose is doubled and injected every three weeks in addition to "Cisplatinum" or "Carboplatinum."
In renal cell carcinoma, the dose should not exceed 10 mg / kg once every 15 days. If there are signs of progression of the disease, then the treatment is stopped.
No need to adjust the dose for elderly people. 
"Avastin": an overdose of
An overdose of the drug happens most often if a patient has been given a large dose of 20 mg per kg of body weight of the patient once every 14 days.
In this case, migraine attacks can occur in a rather complicated form, in addition, there is an increase in the undesirable effects described below. There is no specific antidote, only symptomatic therapy is used.
Avastin: side effects of
Avastin is a very good drug, it in most cases helps to slow the progression of a serious disease, but very often undesirable manifestations are observed in patients. In rare cases, they can be quite serious:
- Perforation of the stomach and intestines.
- Internal bleeding.
- Arterial thromboembolism.
- Increases blood pressure and develops proteinuria. Most likely, this is a consequence of the patient's dose-dependence.
In addition, in patients who have been prescribed Avastin, side effects are also manifested by other symptoms:
- deep vein thrombosis, complicated heart failure, supraventricular tachycardia, bleeding;
- leukopenia, neutropenia, low hemoglobin, thrombocytopenia;
- discomfort in the peritoneum, indigestion, blood in the stool, infectious rash in the mouth, bleeding gums, intestinal obstruction;
- bleeding from the nose, lack of oxygen, pulmonary thromboembolism;
- dry skin, dermatitis, skin tone change;
- loss of taste, a sharp decrease in body weight, syncope, migraine, stroke, a feeling of drowsiness;
- vision impairment;
- pain in the place where the drug is injected;
- bleeding from the uterus, infections of the urinary tract, a feeling of rapid fatigue, dehydration.
Contraindications to the use of
Is "Avastin" suitable for everyone? The patients' reviews say that this is a wonderful drug, but still it also has contraindications to the application, and before starting therapy, the doctor should talk about them. The drug can not be administered in the following cases:
- if there is a particular intolerance to the main active substance;
- there are infectious diseases of the eyes and the periocular region;
- has intraocular inflammatory processes;
- age to 18 years;
- pregnancy and lactation.
In addition, if a patient has a chance of developing a stroke, the "Avastin" prick is put only after the patient is carefully examined and will come to the conclusion that the drug will be of use.
Specific instructions
Only a doctor who has experience of performing intraocular injections should administer the drug.
After the product has been introduced, it is not recommended for some time to get behind the wheel of the car and perform work related to the mechanisms, and all because transient visual impairments can develop.
"Avastin"( the manufacturer indicates this in the instructions) should be stored only in the refrigerator, and in no case it can not be frozen. It is released only by prescription. 
How does Avastin interact with other drugs?
The drug "Avastin" is incompatible with solutions of dextrose. Also, the drug may increase the risk of developing adverse reactions if taken in conjunction with such drugs:
- "Sunitiniba Malate" - development of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia may occur;
- platinum and taxanes - possible development of complications of infectious pathologies, severe neutropenia, increased risk of death;
- "Panitumumab" and "Cetuximab" - increases the toxic effect of drugs and leads to death.
"Avastin" in ophthalmology
More recently in the press there was information that the drug "Avastin" is used by ophthalmologists for the treatment of eye diseases and gives very good results. But is it? What does the manufacturer say about this? Can this remedy not only stop the growth of the tumor, but also cure diseases of the eye?
Yes, in fact, there is information that some patients, hearing about the benefits of the drug for the eyes, decided and made a shot of "Avastin" in the vitreous, but the results were deplorable. The drug did not bring any cure, even on the contrary, led to the fact that people just blinded. The company "Rosh" repeatedly stressed that "Avastin" in ophthalmology can not be used, its purpose is different.
The drug is designed to reduce the intensity of growth of blood vessels, which feed malignant neoplasm, thereby reducing the intensity of tumor development. That's why before you start therapy and listen to unsupported recommendations, it is better to consult a doctor.
"Avastin": analogues
As for whether there are substitutes that would have the same basic substance in their composition, then Avastin does not have them. Analogues on the mechanism of action are, and they also give good results in slowing the growth of blood vessels and the development of cancer tumors. These include:
- "Arzerra".
- "Campas".
- "Rituximab".
- "MabThera", etc.
But it is necessary to remember that the doctor should choose the analogue. 
"Avastin": reviews of patients and doctors
"Avastin"( instructions for use confirm this) is the only drug that contains bevacizumab, it helps to slow the growth of blood vessels that feed the tumor and thereby slow the progression of the disease. Most of the doctors who observed the dynamics of the disease in a patient, say that after a couple of injections, the tumor growth slows down, the main thing is to correctly take the drug and not combine it with drugs that in combination can cause serious harm to the patient.
Summing up, you can say for sure that Avastin( producer - F. Hoffmann-La Roche) - is excellent, which helps to prolong the life of patients with cancerous tumors. But only to apply it is necessary under the strict control of the doctor, otherwise the consequences can be irreversible and end sadly.