Oncologists favor Avastin as first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer

For the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), a majority of surveyed US oncologists surveyed by health care advisory firm Decision Resources, most frequently prescribe a regimen containing Roche (ROG: SIX)/Genentech/Chugai’s Avastin (bevacizumab) in the first-line setting, regardless of tumor KRAS status.

Surveyed oncologists consider a therapy’s efficacy benefit, the ability to combine the targeted agent with the chemotherapy of choice, and regulatory approval in the first-line setting as factors that most strongly influence their first-line prescribing decisions.

Over 30% of surveyed oncologists indicate that the approval of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY)/Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY)/Merck Serono’s (MRK: DE) Erbitux (cetuximab) in combination with FOLFIRI limits their first-line prescribing of this agent and similarly, a majority of surveyed oncologists indicate that the label for Zaltrap (ziv-aflibercept), from Regeneron (Nasdaq: REGN)and Sanofi (Euronext: SAN), currently limits or prevents prescribing of this agent in the first-line setting.