Advice

following a full submission

bevacizumab (Avastin®) is not recommended for use within NHS Scotland.

Indication under review: bevacizumab in combination with capecitabine is indicated for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer in whom treatment with other chemotherapy options including taxanes or anthracyclines is not considered appropriate. 

In a double-blind, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled phase III study in patients with locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer, treatment with bevacizumab plus capecitabine was associated with an extended median progression-free survival of 2.9 months compared with capecitabine monotherapy. However, there was no overall significant improvement in survival.

The submitting company did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis and, in addition, their justification of the treatment’s cost in relation to its health benefits was not sufficient to gain acceptance by the SMC.

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Medicine details

Medicine name:
bevacizumab (Avastin)
SMC ID:
778/12
Indication:
bevacizumab in combination with capecitabine is indicated for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic breast cancer in whom treatment with other chemotherapy options including taxanes or anthracyclines is not considered appropriate.
Pharmaceutical company
Roche
BNF chapter
Malignant disease and immunosuppression
Submission type
Full
Status
Not recommended
Date advice published
14 May 2012