A 70-year-old woman with Stage IIIC high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) undergoes primary debulking surgery with residual disease <1 cm. She is initiated on carboplatin/paclitaxel plus bevacizumab. The GOG-0218 and ICON7 trials investigated bevacizumab in this setting. Bevacizumab works by targeting which molecule?
- A HER2/neu (ErbB2) receptor
- B Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)
- C Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) ✓
- D Folate receptor alpha (FRα)
Correct answer: C. Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A)
Explanation
Bevacizumab is a recombinant humanised monoclonal antibody that binds and neutralises VEGF-A, preventing VEGF-A from interacting with its receptors (VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2) on endothelial cells, thereby inhibiting tumour neovascularisation. GOG-0218 and ICON7 showed that adding bevacizumab to carboplatin/paclitaxel chemotherapy with maintenance bevacizumab significantly improved progression-free survival in advanced ovarian cancer. HER2 is targeted by trastuzumab/pertuzumab; PD-L1 by atezolizumab; FRα by mirvetuximab soravtansine.
Reference: Shaw's Textbook of Gynaecology, 17th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.