Dr. Gradishar Reviews Findings From the LEA Trial

William J. Gradishar, MD, Director, Maggie Daley Center for Women's Cancer Care, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, reviews results from the phase III LEA trial that investigated add-on bevacizumab (Avastin) in breast cancer.

The LEA trial examined the addition of bevacizumab to endocrine therapy as a first-line treatment for postmenopausal women with HER2-negative, hormone receptor-positive, advanced breast cancer. The endocrine therapies that were used in the trial were either letrozole or fulvestrant. In total, the trial enrolled 380 patients and evenly randomized them to receive endocrine therapy alone or in combination with bevacizumab.

This trial was unique in that it was the first to combine an antiangiogenic agent with endocrine therapy. Unfortunately, Gradishar notes, the trial did not demonstrate any additional value for adding bevacizumab in this setting.

Gradishar adds that at this point there is not a clear indication of which patients with breast cancer may benefit from bevacizumab.