| Exclusion Criteria: | 1) Patients must not have current, recent (within 3 weeks), or planned participation with other experimental medication clinical trials.
2) Prior systemic cytoreductive chemotherapy for bladder cancer. Please note, that prior intra-vesical therapy is allowed.
3) Blood pressure of > 140/90 mmHg. Patients whose blood pressure is controlled with oral medication are eligible, as long as the blood pressure is </= 140/90 mmHg.
4) Any prior history of hypertensive crisis or hypertensive encephalopathy.
5) New York Heart Association (NYHA) Grade II or greater congestive heart failure.
6) History of myocardial infarction or unstable angina within 6 months prior to study enrollment.
7) History of stroke or transient ischemic attack within 6 months prior to study enrollment.
8) Clinically significant peripheral vascular disease (e.g., aortic aneurysm, aortic dissection).
9) Symptomatic peripheral vascular disease.
10) Evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy.
11) Known history of central nervous system or brain metastases.
12) Major surgical procedure, open biopsy, or significant traumatic injury within 28 days prior to Day 1, anticipation of need for major surgical procedure during the course of the study. For the purpose of this study, Cystoscopy and ureteroscopy is not included as a major surgical procedure.
13) Lactating women.
14) Proteinuria at screening as demonstrated by either a. Urine protein:creatinine (UPC) ratio >/= 1.0 at screening OR b. Urine dipstick for proteinuria > 2+ (or > 100 protein on urinalysis) Patients discovered to have >2+ proteinuria on dipstick urinalysis or >100 on urinalysis at baseline should undergo a 24 hour urine collection and must demonstrate <= 1g of protein in 24 hours to be eligible.
15) History of abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within 6 months prior to therapy. Patients with Crohn's disease will be excluded.
16) Serious, non-healing wound, ulcer, or bone fracture.
17) Lung carcinoma of squamous cell histology or any histology in close proximity to a major vessel, cavitation, or history of hemoptysis (bright red blood of 1/2 teaspoon or more; non-small cell lung cancer trials only).
18) Inability to comply with study and/or follow-up procedures, or sign informed consent.
19) Patients who are not candidates for surgery, or are unwilling to undergo surgery.
20) Patients with fluid collections (such as ascites, or pleural effusions) are not eligible for therapy as such collections may serve as a reservoir for methotrexate.
21) Know hypersensitivity to any component of Avastin. |