Bevacizumab (Avastin) as a potential novel adjunct in the management of pterygia

Abstract

In the last two decades of angiogenesis research, a variety of angiogenic regulators have been identified. The discovery of several antiangiogenic factors has led to the development of novel ophthalmic therapies. Pterygia are characterized by the encroachment of a fleshy fibrovascular tissue from the bulbar conjunctiva onto the cornea. The pathogenesis of pterygia is presently uncertain and its treatment is quiet controversial. It has also been postulated that the development of pterygia depends on a changed angiogenic stimulator-to-inhibitor ratio. On of the most important known mediators of angiogenesis in pterygia is vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this article, we briefly review the evidences supporting involvement of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of pterygia and then based on these evidences, we hypothesize that local application of bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against VEGF, may inhibit neovascularization and thus, may stop the progression or prevent the recurrence of pterygia.