Does Bevetex Shots Help In Treating Breast Cancer?

Posted on Fri, 27 May 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 27 May 2016 Answered on

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I have operated for breast cancer in 2009. No adjuvant treatment has been taken after surgery. Now cancer came back to hip, ribs, sternum. 15 days of radiation has been taken now. Doctor is giving bevetex 200 mg as chemotherapy every week. Since 5 weeks I completed 5 cycles of bevetex 200 mg. Over the internet I read that bevetex is given if chemotherapy drug did not worked and even the dosage is also 200 mg for every 3 weeks. But for me, the doctor started with bevetex and that too every week. So, Please suggest whether I need to consult another medical oncologist for second opinion or I can blindly trust my current doctor. Please can help me in this regard.

Answered by Dr. Indranil Ghosh (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Bevetex can be given weekly as well

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.

Bevetex is just another formulation of nano-paclitaxel. Paclitaxel and nano-paclitaxel are both approved for breast cancer that has spread. Though the trial of bevetex was on patients previously treated with chemo and it was given 3 weekly, we can give it weekly like other paclitaxel or nano-paclitaxel. The dose is 260 mg/m2 of body surface area 3 weekly or 100-150 mg/m2 every weekly. So dose also appears fine.

So if bevetex is working and you are not having too many side effects, I would suggest to continue it. Having said that, there are many options of chemotherapy in you as no previous chemo was given and another doctor may suggest a different drug as well.

Hope this helps.
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee