Avastin and cetuximab do not enhance the effects of gemcitabine in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer

Two studies (both multicentre American studies) reported at The American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting this year looked at the addition of two 'molecular' agents, bevacizumab (avastin) and cetuximab, to the standard first line chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer, gemcitabine. Neither found that these interesting compounds added to the response rates of the basic chemotherapy regime. This is a set back to the attempts to enhance the response rates in  this disease, and surprising in that early studies had suggested that the addition of cetuximab, in particular, would improve the results.