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Bevacizumab every 4 weeks is as effective as every 2 weeks in combination with biweekly FOLFIRI in metastatic colorectal cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

The efficacy and tolerability of bevacizumab every 2 or 4 weeks using the same dosage in combination with biweekly FOLFIRI were retrospectively evaluated in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients in the first-line and second-line therapy.

Patients and methods

A total of 332 patients from six centers were evaluated. The patients had received biweekly FOLFIRI in combination with bevacizumab 5 mg/kg every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks schedule for various reasons in individual patients.

Results

Approximately 70 % of all patients had 2-week treatment schedule. In the first-line therapy (n = 240), the overall response rate (ORR) was 34.1 % in 2-week and 36.3 % in 4-week groups. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8 months (95 %CI, 6.8–9.2) and 9 months (95 %CI, 6.6–11.4) (p = 0.074), and median overall survival (OS) was 22 months (95 %CI, 15.8–28.2) and 20 months (95 %CI, 8.1–31.9) (p = 0.612) in 2- and 4-week groups, respectively. One-year survival rate was 76.2 % for 2-week group and 73.2 % for 4-week group. In the second-line therapy (n = 92), the ORR was similar between the groups (24.5 vs 25.9 % in 2- and 4-week groups, respectively). Median PFS was 6 months (95 %CI, 4.7–7.3) and 11 months (95 %CI, 6.3–15.7) (p = 0.074), and median OS was 15 months (95 %CI, 9.6–20.4) and 17 months (95 %CI, 13.7–20.3) (p = 0.456) for 2-week and for 4-week groups, respectively. One-year survival rate was 61.3 % for 2-week and 71.3 % for 4-week groups. Toxicity profile was similar in 2- and 4-week groups and included neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, mucositis, bleeding, hypertension, thromboembolism and fistulization.

Conclusion

Bevacizumab 5 mg/kg every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks in combination with biweekly FOLFIRI had similar efficacy and tolerability in mCRC. Because of the retrospective nature of our study, the data should be examined cautiously. However, our study clearly points out the need for determination of optimum biological dosing interval of bevacizumab in well-designed, prospective, randomized trials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Besevler, 06500, Ankara, Turkey

    Ramazan Yildiz, Mustafa Benekli, Aydin Ciltas, Ugur Coskun & Suleyman Buyukberber

  2. Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey

    Metin Ozkan, Veli Berk, Halit Karaca, Mustafa Dikilitas & Gamze Gokoz Dogu

  3. Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    Necati Alkis, Ayse Gok Durnali & Tarkan Yetisyigit

  4. Dicle University Faculty of Medicine, Diyarbakir, Turkey

    Mehmet Ali Kaplan

  5. Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep, Turkey

    Alper Sevinc

  6. Marmara University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey

    Faysal Dane

Authors
  1. Ramazan Yildiz
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  2. Mustafa Benekli
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  3. Metin Ozkan
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  4. Necati Alkis
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  5. Veli Berk
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  6. Mehmet Ali Kaplan
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  7. Aydin Ciltas
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  8. Halit Karaca
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  9. Ayse Gok Durnali
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  10. Ugur Coskun
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  11. Mustafa Dikilitas
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  13. Faysal Dane
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  14. Tarkan Yetisyigit
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  15. Gamze Gokoz Dogu
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  16. Suleyman Buyukberber
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ramazan Yildiz.

Additional information

This study was conducted for Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology (ASMO).

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Yildiz, R., Benekli, M., Ozkan, M. et al. Bevacizumab every 4 weeks is as effective as every 2 weeks in combination with biweekly FOLFIRI in metastatic colorectal cancer. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 138, 1845–1852 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-012-1264-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-012-1264-5

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