Dr. Coleman on the Role of Ramucirumab in Gynecologic Cancer

Robert Coleman, MD, professor in the department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the role of ramucirumab (Cyramza) in patients with gynecologic cancer.

Ramucirumab is an antibody to VEGFR2, which is an important receptor, particularly in gynecologic cancers. Although ramucirumab is not being looked at in ovarian cancer, in endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancers, that receptor seems to be important and continues to be investigated. Nintedanib (Ofev, Vargatef) and pazopanib (Votrient) are tyrosine kinase inhibitors that have been studied in the phase III setting that also target this receptor.

There are other growth factors such as angiopoietins, which have been investigated. These seem to be important for the endothelial remodeling that happens in the angiogenesis process. This also improves progression-free survival.