By inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels , Bevacizumab inhibits the ability to heal wounds. Any incisions made during surgical procedures may slow to heal or not fully heal because of these anti-angiogenic effects. Patients taking Bevacizumab must stop taking this medication 28 days before or 28 days after surgery until any incisions have fully healed.
Patients can experience vomiting or coughing up blood (hematemesis or hemoptysis), bleeding in the GI tract, epistaxis (nosebleeds), abnormal vaginal bleeding, gingival bleeding, and bleeding in the brain or spinal cord. This medication is contraindicated in patients with recent hemoptysis or hemorrhage.
Nosebleeds, or epistaxis, are one of the most common effects of Bevacizumab and patients should notify their doctor if this or any other signs of abnormal or excessive bleeding occur.
GI perforation is a hole that develops through the wall of any part of the gastrointestinal tract and is considered a medical emergency. Contents of the GI tract will leak into surrounding cavities and cause infection.
Arterial thromboembolic events such as myocardial or cerebral infarctions are one of the more severe side effects.
Death of bone in the jaw is seen in some patients taking Bevacizumab and in patients taking bisphosphonates in conjunction with chemotherapy regimes.
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