Use of 7.5 mg/kg of bevacizumab to palliate symptomatic malignant ascites in recurrent ovarian cancer

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of single-agent intravenous bevacizumab (7.5 mg/kg every three to four weeks) for palliating symptomatic malignant ascites caused by recurrent ovarian cancer, the authors examined the cases retrospectively. Materials and Methods: Five patients with recurrent ovarian cancer and malignant ascites were treated with bevacizumab. Results: A total of 23 bevacizumab infusions were administered for the patients, and the mean inter-infusion interval was 26.1 days (range: 21-35). After one course of therapy, no further paracentesis was required in four patients. However, bevacizumab was not effective in one patient and hence paracentesis had to be repeated. Due to disease progression, treatment was aborted in four patients, who died of their disease within a few months of the bevacizumab treatment (median overall survival period: 3.3 months). Conclusion: The intravenous infusion of 7.5 mg/kg bevacizumab at three- to four-week intervals is a promising therapy for malignant ascites caused by recurrent ovarian cancer.

Bevacizumab; Malignant ascites; Ovarian cancer.

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