More research is needed to identify biomarkers (substances in the body whose detection indicates a particular disease) for doctors to use to more accurately predict which patients will benefit most.

If the FDA does withdraw its approval of Avastin for metastatic breast cancer, Komen and the OCNA are concerned about the potential damaging impact such a decision may have on future drug development.

"We hope that drug manufacturers will continue to develop medications for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, and would not want this decision to mean that drug development for breast cancer comes to a crashing halt," the organizations' letter read.

Avastin is an "anti-angiogenesis" drug, which means it blocks the formation of blood vessels that feed cancer tumors. Restricted blood flow helps slow the growth and spread of cancer. The drug has been approved for colon, brain, certain types of lung and other cancers. The panel's recommendation does not affect the drug's approval for those concerns.

As the world's largest grassroots breast cancer organization, Komen is calling on all stakeholders ??” government, private industry, academia and the nonprofit community ??” to invest in the development of biomarkers and new drugs and to get the new technology and treatments to patients' bedsides as safely and as quickly as possible. Further, Komen hopes women who are currently being treated with Avastin for metastatic breast cancer continue to have access to the drug, and that third-party payers continue to cover it.

SOURCE Susan G. Komen for the Cure