Avastin

I went back to the chemocare website, which is always a good source of information for me and I pulled the Avastin description too. Basically, Avastin is trying to prevent my tumors from growing new blood vessels (and getting larger). I'm telling you. Science. Is. Amazing.

From: http://chemocare.com/chemotherapy/drug-info/avastin.aspx

How Avastin works:

Monoclonal antibodies are a relatively new type of "targeted" cancer therapy.  Antibodies are part of the immune system.  Normally, the body creates antibodies in response to an antigen (such as a protein in a germ) entering the body.  The antibodies attach to the antigen in order to mark it for destruction by the body's immune system.  In the laboratory, scientists analyze specific antigens on the surface of cancer cells (target) to determine a protein to match the antigen.  Then, using animal and human proteins, scientists work to create a special antibody that will attach to the target antigen.  Antibodies will attach to matching antigens like a key fits a lock.  This technology allows treatment to target specific cells, causing less toxicity to healthy cells.   Monoclonal antibody therapy can be done only for cancers in which antigens (and the respective antibodies) have been identified.

Avastin works by interfering with the process of angiogenesis by targeting and inhibiting human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).  VEGF is a cytokine (a small protein released by cells that have specific effects on the behavior of cells) which when it interacts with its receptors in the cell leads to new blood vessel formation or angiogenesis.

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