Patients treated for persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer with Avastin are at increased risk of fistulae between the vagina and any part of the GI tract (Gastrointestinal-vaginal fistulae). Prior radiation is a major risk factor for the development of GI-vaginal fistulae and all patients with GI-vaginal fistulae had a history of prior radiation. Recurrence of cancer within the field of prior radiation is an additional important risk factor for the development of GI-vaginal fistulae.

Non-GI Fistulae (see section 4.8)

Patients may be at increased risk for the development of fistulae when treated with Avastin.

Permanently discontinue Avastin in patients with tracheoesophageal (TE) fistula or any Grade 4 fistula [US National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI-CTCAE v.3)]. Limited information is available on the continued use of Avastin in patients with other fistulae.

In cases of internal fistula not arising in the gastrointestinal tract, discontinuation of Avastin should be considered.

Wound healing complications (see section 4.8)

Avastin may adversely affect the wound healing process. Serious wound healing complications, including anastomotic complications, with a fatal outcome have been reported. Therapy should not be initiated for at least 28 days following major surgery or until the surgical wound is fully healed. In patients who experienced wound healing complications during therapy, treatment should be withheld until the wound is fully healed. Therapy should be withheld for elective surgery.

Necrotising fasciitis, including fatal cases, has rarely been reported in patients treated with Avastin. This condition is usually secondary to wound healing complications, gastrointestinal perforation or fistula formation. Avastin therapy should be discontinued in patients who develop necrotising fasciitis, and appropriate treatment should be promptly initiated.

Hypertension (see section 4.8)

An increased incidence of hypertension was observed in Avastin-treated patients. Clinical safety data suggest that the incidence of hypertension is likely to be dose-dependent. Pre-existing hypertension should be adequately controlled before starting Avastin treatment. There is no information on the effect of Avastin in patients with uncontrolled hypertension at the time of initiating therapy. Monitoring of blood pressure is generally recommended during therapy.

In most cases hypertension was controlled adequately using standard antihypertensive treatment appropriate for the individual situation of the affected patient. The use of diuretics to manage hypertension is not advised in patients who receive a cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimen. Avastin should be permanently discontinued if medically significant hypertension cannot be adequately controlled with antihypertensive therapy, or if the patient develops hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) (see section 4.8)

There have been rare reports of Avastin-treated patients developing signs and symptoms that are consistent with PRES, a rare neurologic disorder, which can present with the following signs and symptoms among others: seizures, headache, altered mental status, visual disturbance, or cortical blindness, with or without associated hypertension. A diagnosis of PRES requires co