New ovarian cancer treatment trial begins
11 May 2007
Over the next 18 months, women who are newly diagnosed with ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer will be invited to participate in ICON 7, a phase three clinical trial that aims to assess whether adding a drug called Bevacizumab to chemotherapy helps stop these cancers coming back after surgery.
Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in women, 4,400 die from the condition in the UK every year. The research team hopes that more than 1500 women will participate in the ICON7 trial which is likely to take three to four years to complete. All patients will have had surgical treatment before they are enrolled on the trial, and all will require chemotherapy treatment.
Bevacizumab is one of a range of new molecular therapies that are revolutionising cancer treatment. It is a monoclonal antibody, which works by interfering with the development of tumour blood vessels thereby starving the tumour of its blood supply. The drug is currently licensed to treat advanced bowel cancer.
The existing treatment regime for ovarian cancer usually comprises surgical removal of as much tumour as possible followed by chemotherapy treatment with a combination of two drugs known as carboplatin and paclitaxel (also known as Taxol). Six courses of this chemotherapy treatment are usually given over a period of four and a half months.
ICON7 will assess whether Bevacizumab given in addition to chemotherapy, and then continued as a maintenance drug after the end of chemotherapy to make twelve months treatment in total, is more effective than 6 courses of chemotherapy alone. Dr Timothy Perren, consultant medical oncologist and chief investigator on the trial explained:
"Whilst most patients with ovarian cancer respond well to standard chemotherapy, many dont and are left with residual disease. Even in those patients who do respond, the disease often returns within the first 2 years after treatment. ICON 7 will examine the potential of Bevacizumab to provide better results for women who undergo chemotherapy for ovarian cancer and whether use of this medicine can increase the length of time between chemotherapy and recurrence of disease. In addition, ICON7 represents a new and exciting collaboration between academic and industry partners.
The ICON7 trial is a truly collaborative exercise. It is sponsored by the Medical Research Council, run through the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup an international cooperative group for clinical trials in gynaecological cancers - and funding for running costs is provided by the pharmaceutical company Roche.
Dr Perren concluded:
If the ICON 7 trial shows positive results it is likely that Bevacizumab will be registered in Europe to treat these cancers and following review by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, there is potential for it to be prescribed as a new treatment for patients with ovarian cancer in the UK.
For more information please visit the ICON 7 website
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