Abstract: Recently, bevacizumab in the treatment of advanced breast cancer is controversial. Although the E2100 had doubled the progression-free survival when bevacizumab was added to chemotherapy, this magnitude of benefit could not be replicated in subsequent studies. Furthermore, individual studies and meta-analyses failed to demonstrate an overall survival benefit with the addition of bevacizumab to different chemotherapy regimens. The US FDA has withdrawn the approval of bevacizumab as a therapeutic option for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in November, 2011; because that it cannot prolong the overall survival time. In addition, this agent is associated with an increased incidence of serious adverse events such as hypertension, congestive heart failure and thromboembolism, and its cost is likely to be a consideration in its use worldwide. Reevaluation of the benefit-versus-risk is indispensable. Biomarker-based studies aiming to identify the subpopulation of patients most likely to benefit from the addition of bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy in breast cancer should be a research priority in future.

Key words: Breast tumor, Vascular endothelial growth factor, Bevacizumab, Benefit, Risk