Arterial hypertension correlates with clinical outcome in colorectal cancer patients treated with first-line bevacizumab.
BACKGROUND
Arterial hypertension occurring during antiangiogenic therapy has been correlated with the biological inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor-related pathway and may represent a possible clinical marker for treatment efficacy. The aim of our study was to retrospectively assess if grades 2-3 hypertension were associated with response to bevacizumab, progression-free survival (PFS) and survival in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with first-line bevacizumab.


METHODS
Patients with histologically proven, metastatic colorectal cancer receiving bevacizumab as first-line therapy in combination with irinotecan and 5-fluorouracil were eligible for our analysis.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine metastatic colorectal cancer patients were eligible. Eight patients (20%) developed grades 2-3 hypertension. A partial remission was observed in six of eight cases with bevacizumab-related hypertension (75%) and in 10 of 31 (32%) patients with no hypertension (P = 0.04). Median PFS was 14.5 months for patients showing bevacizumab-related hypertension, while it was 3.1 months in those without hypertension (P = 0.04). Median overall survival was not reached in patients with hypertension while it was 15.1 months in the remaining cases (P = 0.11).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that bevacizumab-induced hypertension may represent an interesting prognostic factor for clinical outcome in advanced colorectal cancer patients receiving first-line bevacizumab.
Scartozzi
M
M
Clinic of Medical Oncology, Polytechnic University of the Marche Region, Riuniti Hospital, Ancona, Italy. marioscartozzi@libero.it
Galizia
E
E
Chiorrini
S
S
Giampieri
R
R
Berardi
R
R
Pierantoni
C
C
Cascinu
S
S
D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D000077146:Irinotecan; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000077146:Irinotecan; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin