This idea has been around for quite a while, and despite spectacular cures of mice in the laboratory, results in humans are unclear and seemingly quite modest. Clinical trials have been conducted to see if it will work in breast cancer. The results of two of those Avastin trials were recently presented to the Oncology Drug Advisory Committee (ODAC) of the Food and Drug Administration. ODAC decided against recommending bevacizumab for approval, because data from the clinical trials did not demonstrate that this treatment prolongs the lives of women with advanced breast cancer beyond current treatments.

In fact, there were more deaths and serious side effects in the treatment group that included bevacizumab. Another issue discussed among participants at our San Antonio session was the high cost of newer cancer therapies including bevacizumab. It was a timely discussion, considering the FDA is slated to make a final decision on bevacizumab in February.

These gatherings offer a snapshot of what is going on in the breast cancer research community. Ideas are born and connections are made. As I have said before, all the money in the world will not eradicate breast cancer if it is spent on the wrong research. The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium does not tell us how close we are to ending breast cancer. But it can at least show us where we are, and shed a light on where we might want to go.