Avastin Query
by Marc
(new zealand)
Is Avastin a cytotoxic drug?
Marc, here is the definition of a cytotoxic drug
"any pharmacologic compound that inhibits the proliferation of cells within the body. Such compounds as the alkylating agents and the antimetabolites designed to destroy cells (with a high growth fraction) are commonly used in chemotherapy.
Cytotoxic agents have a potential for producing teratogenesis, mutagenesis, and carcinogenesis."
Mosby's Medical Dictionary, 8th edition. © 2009, Elsevier.
Avastin® (bevacizumab) is a cytotoxic drug that is U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved therapy designed to inhibit angiogenesis, the process by which new blood vessels develop and carry vital nutrients to a tumor.
The FDA approved Avastin in February 2004 for use in combination with another chemotherapy drug as a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer.
Avastin is in a class of drugs called anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) . These types of drugs reduce the growth of abnormal blood vessels - in tumors and in wet macular degeneration.
To learn more about Avastin and Macular Degeneration go to:
www.WebRN-MacularDegeneration.com/avastin-macular-degeneration.html
Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Click here to read or post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Pain With Avastin Injections
by Cyrus
(Hegmatan)
My eye is very painful when I receive injections of Avastin.
What does my doctor do for decreasing it? Is there other treatment instead of it. Please help me.
I have decided not do injection.
REPLY
Dear Cyrus,
I have found that many patients experience pain right after the injection, but I don't think it is from the needle itself.
Several patients of mine are very sensitive to the iodine solution used to prep the eye prior to the injection.
Avoiding this step has been very successful in avoiding the pain.
Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Dr. Wong is a Retina Specialist in Fairfax Virginia
Retina Specialist
Fairfax Virginia
Click here to read or post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Frequency of Avastin Intraocular injections?
by cj
(texas)
Hello,
I am a 63 year old caucasian male. I developed wet macular degeneration in August of this year and have had 2 injections of Avastin into the eye. I am better.
How often do I need to have injections or can I be followed with serial OCT/FA exams to see if I need to have an injection? What do most retina specialists do in this case? Thank you.
REPLY
Hi CJ,
Most retina specialists, including myself, are fine tuning their treatment regimen. I personally recommend an "induction phase" of 3 shots, one shot every four weeks over a 2 month period.
The shots are continued until there is stabilization of the of vision and "normal" findings on OCT/FA.
Follow-up is recommended wary of re-emergence of the abnormal blood vessels as demonstrated by OCT and/or FA, as in your case.
This seems to be the most common situation as several studies support this "treat as needed" approach.
Keep up your appointments. Sounds like you are doing well.
Thanks for the question!
Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Retina Specialist Fairfax, Virginia
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Wet Macular Degeneration - Avastin Injections
by Razia
(Rawalpindi, Pakistan)
I have wet MD in my left eye for the last over 1 year. Since then, I have been getting Avastin injections once a month in the affected eye.
So far, I had 7 injections. No more injections are required with present state since last 2 months as advised by the Doc.
My centre vision of the affected eye has shown no improvement but there is better light on the sides.
To protect my vision in the other eye, I am continuously taking Xanovit Extra; a vit containg 20 mg Lutein with Natural Zeaxanthin, Silymarin & Chromium.
My question is whether Avastin injections which I had so far do benefit other eye also besides the affected eye in which injections were given. Normal injections do benefit the whole body.
Reply
Dear Razia,
Thanks for your question. The Avastin injections only benefit the eye that received the injections. However macular degeneration vitamins and a macular degeneration diet do benefit our bodies and our eyes.
To learn how nutrition can benefit your health and your eyes click here:
Diet, Vitamins, and nutrition
Kind Regards,
Leslie Degner ,RN,BSN
Click here to read or post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Macular Degeneration - Avastin Injections
by James
(United States)
Avastin does it work? Or have you done any research on the effects?
REPLY
Hi James,
You can learn more about Avastin and macular degeneration by going to:
Avastin Macular Degeneration
Kind Regards,
Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin Interactions
by Maria
(United States)
I would greatly appreciate it if you could let me know if Avantis interacts, or could potentially interact, with the following medications - mainly for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, and high blood pressure in a person who has had 5 recent ischemic brain strokes.
REPLY
This is a great question. But it is best answered by your physician or you could ask the pharmacists who fills your prescriptions.
Kind Regards,
Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin Macular Degeneration
by Brian
(WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA)
Is Avastin a good treatment for macular degeneration?
My retina specialist has started me on a series of three injections. I have not found anything in your reading about this treatment (or have I missed it?)
Answer
Hi Brian,
Yes, I do have a page on Avastin and Macular Degeneration. I just recently updated it to include the preliminary results of a 6 month study comparing Avastin to Lucentis in AMD patients. To learn more go to:
Avastin Macular Degeneration
Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin Injections
by Zeenat
(South Africa)
I live in South Afican of maurtian origin.
My dad is 77 years old, has lost complete vision of his left eye.
He had treatment last October in South Africa. A thick cataract was removed on the left eye. Avastin injections was done in both eyes.
Within few days we were jumping with joy. He could see big titles and watch tv.
The doctor prescribed Avastin injections every six weeks.
His next injection was done in Mauritius causing a big nightmare of conjunctivitis, uveitis, high intraocular prssure. The same thing happened for the next 3 injections.
Now my dad is in South Africa again. We have again done Avastin injections in both eyes yesterday.
The problem is in Mauritius the drug is very expensive. Is there anyway we can buy the drug from overseas. Any solution?
REPLY
Hi Zeenat,
Thanks for your question. I checked to see if Avastin had a patient assistance program - which many drug companies do - however, their program seems to be only for patients who are receiving Avastin for cancer therapy and not for macular degeneration.
It is not possible for a non-medical person to buy the drug. However, perhaps you could talk to the physician about his charges to see if he could reduce them.
Kind Regards,
Leslie
Click here to read or post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin Injections
by HALFRID
(Costa Rica)
I want to find a doctor in Florida who is doing Avastin injections as a prophylactic treatment for age related macular degeneration.
Reply
Hi Halfrid,
Please tell me a little more about your eye condition. Do you have wet or dry macular degeneration, how old are you and what treatment have you received so far?
Leslie Degner, RN, BSN
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin and Macular Degeneration
by Tony
(Connecticut)
I have Wet AMD in both eyes.
Over the last 22 months I had 8 injections of Avastin in my left eye and 5 injections in the other. The treatment is to inject and then evaluate at about 5 weeks or sooner if vision gets noticably worse.
The injections seem to be keeping the AMD at the same level. Sight is not improving but it is not getting worse.(the left eye is about 20/65 and right is about 20/35)
My question is, how much longer(or for how many more injections) can I expect the Avastin to effectively keep the AMD from progressing?
I realize that Avastin reacts differently in individuals and in my case, even in each eye. However, with a sizable base of patients, I'm searching for a probable estimation.
REPLY
Dear Tony,
This is a tough question to answer. In my opinion and in my experience, the disease can be active for about 2 years, that is, there seems to be a constant cycle of treat --> retreat.
Most of the recommendations and literature suggest this same 2 year "window."
On the other hand, I don't know when the disease actually started in you.
While the treatment may be annoying, compared to the treatments available before anti-VEGF injections, your results speak volumes.
I encourage you to keep up the treatment as you have done quite well.
Hang in there,
Randall V. Wong, M.D.
Dr. Wong is a Retina Specialist in Fairfax Virginia
Retina Specialist
Fairfax Virginia
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin Injections
by Sue
(Milford, Iowa)
My dad is 82. Should he have avastin injection for macular degeneration?
What the eye dr. said is he will be put to sleep for the injections. Let me know. Thanks.
REPLY
Hi Sue,
Thanks Sue for your question. Our website is here to provide general information on macular degeneration. Only your father's physician is able to provide him with treatment options based on findings from many different eye exams.
However, if he feels uncomfortable with the recommended treatment, getting a second opinion from another retina doctor may be helpful.
For general information on Avastin injections go to:
Avastin Macular Degeneration
Kind Regards,
Leslie Degner,RN, BSN
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin
by Ernesto Bonelli
(Montevideo, Uruguay)
My doctor gave me one FIRST dose of Avastin. I find out after three days that my vision change.
I did not have a central blurred circle, instead my blurred and no vision spot was in my left and reaching to the center.
I could not see now there is no well marked spot but I continue without seeing well.
I only distinguished the forms and colors but I am not capable to recognize persons.
I SEE LIKE TROUGH A GLASS FULL OF RAINDROPS. Hope I can improve my vision in the next months. I have two doses more of Avastin.
Did anyone recover almost 50% or more of his normal vision?
In my case there was no process of degeneration warnings signs, suddenly and I suppose after an edema, due to high internal pressure in 12 hours I lost my vision.
Click here to post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
Avastin Injections
by Ted
(Peoria, AZ )
A few weeks ago I had my first Avastin injection into my left eye. I will be having two more in my treatment, spaced about a month apart. My vision has improved from 20/100 to 20/40.
If your retinal specialist offers it as a possible treatment option, you might want to take him up on it. There are no guarantees, but the alternative of going blind was not an option for me.
Click here to read or post comments.
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Ask a Question.
|
