Warning issued for colorectal cancer drug

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government and Genentech are warning doctors that Avastin, used to treat colorectal cancer, increases patients' risk of heart ailments including chest pain, strokes, ministrokes and heart attacks.
Avastin also raises the risk that patients might die from those heart ailments.
Colleen Sweeney, Genentech spokeswoman, said Friday that the heart ailments had killed some patients who took the drug, but she could not say how many. "I don't have the data," Sweeney said.
Genentech developed and manufactures the drug.
During clinical trials before the drug's approval, one patient died but a "clear relationship" could not be determined between Avastin use and the heart-related fatality, she said. Additional analyses led to the drug warning by the company and the Food and Drug Administration.
"Right now, we're working with the FDA, with these analyses, to update the Avastin label," she said.
Shares in Genentech fell $2.88, or more than 6 percent, to close at $44.23 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Genentech would not say how many patients were prescribed Avastin after FDA approval. "We don't give out prescription information," Sweeney said.
The company told health-care providers in its warning letter that patients whose cancer had spread were twice as likely to suffer serious heart ailments if they received Avastin with their chemotherapy.
The highest-risk individuals had a history of such heart problems and were older than 65.