Carboplatin and Bevacizumab for Progressive Breast Cancer Brain Metastases

The purpose of this research study is to determine how well the combination of bevacizumab and carboplatin works in treating breast cancer that has spread to the brain. Bevacizumab is an antibody (a protein that attacks a foreign substance in the body) that is made in the laboratory. Bevacizumab works differently from the way chemotherapy drugs work. Usually chemotherapy drugs attack fast growing cancer cells in the body. Bevacizumab works to slow or stop the growth of cells in cancer tumors by decreasing the blood supply to the tumors. When the blood supply is decreased, the tumors don't get the oxygen and nutrients they need to grow. Carboplatin is in a class of drugs known as platinum-containing compounds and has been approved for use in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Information from other research studies suggests that the combination of bevacizumab with carboplatin may be effective in treating breast cancer.