MyVisionTest News Archive
Mar 14, 2009
Avastin plus strontium-90 brachytherapy for choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD
A small 1-year prospective study of Avastin plus epiretinal brachytherapy combination therapy for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) reports favorable safety and efficacy results.
"Radiation has been used for some time in the treatment of ocular neovascularization. It is an interesting option because it attacks several of the important components of the disease. It is antiangiogenic but also anti-inflammatory, which may have an important role in the recurrence of the disease, and also antifibrotic," Eugene de Juan, MD, said at the Euretina Congress on May 29, 2008. "Importantly, it can work synergistically with other therapeutic approaches. Avastin and radiation have shown synergism in colon cancer."
In this prospective, non-randomised, multicenter study, 34 treatment-naïve patients with predominantly classic, minimally classic and occult subfoveal CNV lesions received a single treatment with 24 Gy beta radiation (strontium-90) and two injections of the anti-VEGF antibody bevacizumab. Adverse events were observed. BCVA was measured using standard ETDRS vision charts.
Twelve months after treatment, no radiation-associated adverse events were observed. In the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, 91% of patients lost <3 lines (15 ETDRS letters) of vision at 12 months, 68% improved or maintained their BCVA at 12 months, and 38% gained 3 lines. The mean change in BCVA observed at month 12 was a gain of 8.9 letters.
The safety and efficacy of intraocular, epiretinal brachytherapy delivered concomitantly with anti-VEGF therapy for the treatment of subfoveal CNV secondary to AMD were promising in this small study population. These results are consistent with earlier studies of radiation combined with anti-VEGF therapy. The investigators state that the long-term safety of this therapy will be assessed for 3 years. This regimen is being evaluated in a large, multicenter, phase III study.
WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU: Radiation therapy is effective in treating ocular neovascularization. It is not only antiangiogenic but also anti-inflammatory. This study shows that it can work synergistically with Avastin to combat CNV associated with AMD. This radiation treatment is currently being evaluated in a large, multicenter, FDA phase III study.
Read more...
British Journal of Ophthalmology 2009;93:305-309
Tags: radiation, Avastin, wet AMD
A small 1-year prospective study of Avastin plus epiretinal brachytherapy combination therapy for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) reports favorable safety and efficacy results."Radiation has been used for some time in the treatment of ocular neovascularization. It is an interesting option because it attacks several of the important components of the disease. It is antiangiogenic but also anti-inflammatory, which may have an important role in the recurrence of the disease, and also antifibrotic," Eugene de Juan, MD, said at the Euretina Congress on May 29, 2008. "Importantly, it can work synergistically with other therapeutic approaches. Avastin and radiation have shown synergism in colon cancer."
Twelve months after treatment, no radiation-associated adverse events were observed. In the intent-to-treat (ITT) population, 91% of patients lost <3 lines (15 ETDRS letters) of vision at 12 months, 68% improved or maintained their BCVA at 12 months, and 38% gained 3 lines. The mean change in BCVA observed at month 12 was a gain of 8.9 letters.
The safety and efficacy of intraocular, epiretinal brachytherapy delivered concomitantly with anti-VEGF therapy for the treatment of subfoveal CNV secondary to AMD were promising in this small study population. These results are consistent with earlier studies of radiation combined with anti-VEGF therapy. The investigators state that the long-term safety of this therapy will be assessed for 3 years. This regimen is being evaluated in a large, multicenter, phase III study.
WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU: Radiation therapy is effective in treating ocular neovascularization. It is not only antiangiogenic but also anti-inflammatory. This study shows that it can work synergistically with Avastin to combat CNV associated with AMD. This radiation treatment is currently being evaluated in a large, multicenter, FDA phase III study.
Read more...
British Journal of Ophthalmology 2009;93:305-309
