Reply: Did animal offer relevant model for bevacizumab testing?
2008

Response to Concerns About Bevacizumab Testing in Animal Models

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Bozec A, Sudaka A, Fischel J L, Brunstein M C, Grimaldi M C, Milano G

Primary Institution: Centre Antoine Lacassagne

Hypothesis

Are murine models suitable for testing the effects of bevacizumab on tumor growth?

Conclusion

The study suggests that the interaction of bevacizumab with erlotinib and radiation may be more relevant than its effect alone on tumor growth.

Supporting Evidence

  • Previous studies have shown that bevacizumab can affect tumor growth in xenografted tumors.
  • The authors suggest that a higher dose of bevacizumab might be more effective.
  • Results from another study indicated that bevacizumab had a clear effect when treatment started at a larger tumor size.

Takeaway

The researchers think that using mice to test a cancer drug might not be the best idea because the drug doesn't work well in mice, but it could work better with other treatments.

Methodology

The study involved experiments on xenografted animals using human cancer cells to assess the effects of bevacizumab.

Potential Biases

The study acknowledges potential biases in using murine models for drug testing.

Limitations

Current animal models do not perfectly represent clinical situations.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1038/sj.bjc.6604694

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