Results of five studies were released today at the 49th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
One concerns use of the drug Avastin, which lost its approval for treating breast cancer nearly two years ago.
Two studies found Avastin did not prolong life when used as a first treatment for people with brain tumors.
However, other research shows the drug extends survival for women with advanced cervical cancer.
"We have discovered and reported that we can add a medication to chemotherapy to help these women live longer," said Dr. Bradley Monk, University of Arizona Cancer Center. "This is a major breakthrough. And this medication, remarkably, inhibits, prevents the blood vessels from growing into the tumor."
Dr. Monk said the drug can extend the life of a woman with cervical cancer by 3.7 months.
