CHICAGO, June 3 -- Two novel therapies targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) demonstrated activity in refractory thyroid and ovarian cancer, investigators reported here.
Axitinib, an oral inhibitor of VEGF receptor 1, 2, and 3, led to partial responses in 30% of a group of patients with refractory thyroid cancer, reported Ezra Cohen, M.D., of the University of Chicago, at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting.
The antiangiogenic fusion protein VEGF-Trap led to stable disease or partial response after four weeks in 85% of a group of women with recurrent, heavily treated, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, said William P. Tew, M.D., of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, in another ASCO report. However, by week 30 only 4% of patients had at least stable disease.
Axitinib was evaluated in patients with advanced thyroid cancer, said Dr. Cohen. The malignancy often can be treated successfully with surgery and radiation. "But patients who fail standard therapy, unfortunately, have a five-year survival of 30%, with very few, or in some instances non-existent, treatment options," he added.
