Avastin and Taxotere for Esophagogastric Cancer

Bevacizumab will be administered intravenously in an outpatient clinic once a week, every other week. Docetaxel will also be administered intravenously in the outpatient clinic once a week for three out of four weeks. Blood tests and vital signs will be performed weekly.

After the first eight weeks of therapy a CT scan will be performed to determine and assess the progress of the disease. If therapy is continued, radiological procedures will be performed at week 16 and every 8 weeks thereafter.

Treatment will be given for a minimum of 8 weeks, as long as the patient does not experience unacceptable side effects. Chemotherapy will continue for a year and a half as long as the cancer is responding and there are no unacceptable side effects.

Inclusion criteria

• Histologically confirmed, unresectable or metastatic stage IV esophageal or gastric carcinoma
• Measurable disease greater than or equal to 1cm by spiral computed tomography (CT) scan or greater than or equal to 2cm by other radiographic technique
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• One prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease permitted
• White blood cell count greater than or equal to 3,000/mm
• Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1,500/mm3
• Platelet count greater than or equal to 100,000/mm3
• Hemoglobin greater than or equal to 8.0g/dl
• Creatinine less than 2.0mg/dL
• Total bilirubin less than 1.9mg/dL

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant or lactating women
• History or evidence of central nervous system (CNS) disease
• Other active malignancies other than non-melanoma skin cancer or in-situ cervical cancer
• History of severe hypersensitivity to docetaxel, bevacizumab or drugs formulated with polysorbate 80.
• Current, recent or planned treatment with standard chemotherapy, radiation therapy or another experimental therapy.
• History of other disease or metabolic dysfunction.
• Serious, non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture.