Bevacizumab, pemetrexed and carboplatin in first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients: Focus on patients with brain metastases

  • Authors:
    • Dimitra Stefanou
    • Sofia Stamatopoulou
    • Antigoni Sakellaropoulou
    • Gavriil Akakios
    • Marina Gkiaouraki
    • Despina Gkeka
    • Maria Prevezanou
    • Alexandros Ardavanis
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  • Published online on: October 17, 2016     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.5268
  • Pages: 4635-4642
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Abstract

Data concerning bevacizumab plus pemetrexed plus carboplatin as first‑line treatment for patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with or without brain metastases (BM) are lacking. The present study analyzed the efficacy and safety of this combination as induction therapy, followed by maintenance therapy with bevacizumab plus pemetrexed in non‑squamous NSCLC patients with or without BM. Treatment‑naïve patients with advanced non‑squamous NSCLC and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0‑2 were eligible. Treatment consisted of carboplatin (area under the curve of 5), pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) and bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. Responders and patients with stable disease received maintenance therapy with bevacizumab plus pemetrexed until disease progression, which was evaluated every 3 cycles, or unacceptable toxicity. Kaplan‑Meier median progression‑free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) times were the primary endpoints, and safety was the secondary endpoint. In total, 39 patients, aged 44‑78 years (median, 60 years), were treated; 11 (28.2%) of whom presented with BM. The majority of patients (56.4%) completed 6 cycles of induction therapy, and 26 patients continued on to maintenance therapy. The median PFS time was 8.2 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 7.05‑9.35] and the median OS time was 14.0 months (95% CI, 8.46‑19.54). Median PFS and OS times did not differ significantly between patients with or without BM (log rank (Mantel‑Cox): PFS, P=0.748 and OS, P=0.447). The majority of patients (76.9%) did not experience adverse events during treatment. Overall, bevacizumab plus pemetrexed plus carboplatin as induction therapy, followed by bevacizumab plus pemetrexed as maintenance therapy was effective and well tolerated in advanced NSCLC, whether brain metastases were present or not.
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December-2016
Volume 12 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Spandidos Publications style
Stefanou D, Stamatopoulou S, Sakellaropoulou A, Akakios G, Gkiaouraki M, Gkeka D, Prevezanou M and Ardavanis A: Bevacizumab, pemetrexed and carboplatin in first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients: Focus on patients with brain metastases. Oncol Lett 12: 4635-4642, 2016.
APA
Stefanou, D., Stamatopoulou, S., Sakellaropoulou, A., Akakios, G., Gkiaouraki, M., Gkeka, D. ... Ardavanis, A. (2016). Bevacizumab, pemetrexed and carboplatin in first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients: Focus on patients with brain metastases. Oncology Letters, 12, 4635-4642. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.5268
MLA
Stefanou, D., Stamatopoulou, S., Sakellaropoulou, A., Akakios, G., Gkiaouraki, M., Gkeka, D., Prevezanou, M., Ardavanis, A."Bevacizumab, pemetrexed and carboplatin in first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients: Focus on patients with brain metastases". Oncology Letters 12.6 (2016): 4635-4642.
Chicago
Stefanou, D., Stamatopoulou, S., Sakellaropoulou, A., Akakios, G., Gkiaouraki, M., Gkeka, D., Prevezanou, M., Ardavanis, A."Bevacizumab, pemetrexed and carboplatin in first-line treatment of non-small cell lung cancer patients: Focus on patients with brain metastases". Oncology Letters 12, no. 6 (2016): 4635-4642. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2016.5268