title: Bevacizumab for recurrent alkylator-refractory anaplastic oligodendroglioma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A retrospective evaluation of single agent bevacizumab was carried out in adults with recurrent alkylator-refractory 1p19q codeleted anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (AO) with an objective of determining progression-free survival (PFS). There is no standard therapy for alkylator-resistant AO, and hence a need exists for new therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients aged 24 to 60 years with recurrent AO were treated. All patients had previously been treated with surgery, radiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy (temozolomide, 17; carmustine wafers, 4; carmustine, 1), and 1 salvage regimen (procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine, 15; temozolomide, 6; carmustine wafers, 1). Eleven patients underwent repeat surgery. Patients were treated at second recurrence with bevacizumab, once every 2 weeks, defined as a single cycle. Neurological evaluation was performed every 2 weeks, and neuroradiographic assessment was made after the initial 2 cycles of bevacizumab and subsequently after every 4 cycles of bevacizumab.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 391 cycles of bevacizumab (median, 14.5 cycles; range, 2-39 cycles) were administered. Bevacizumab-related toxicity included fatigue (14 patients; 4 grade 3), leukopenia (9; 1 grade 3), anemia (5; 0 grade 3), hypertension (5; 1 grade 3), deep vein thrombosis (4; 1 grade 3), and wound dehiscence (2; 1 grade 3). Fifteen (68%) patients demonstrated a partial radiographic response, 1 (5.0%) demonstrated stable disease, and 6 (27%) demonstrated progressive disease after 2 cycles of bevacizumab. Time to tumor progression ranged from 1 to 18 months (median, 6.75 months). Survival ranged from 3 to 19 months (median, 8.5 months). Six-month and 12-month PFS were 68% and 23%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bevacizumab demonstrated efficacy and acceptable toxicity in this cohort of adults with recurrent 1p19q codeleted alkylator-refractory AO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Washington/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. chambemc@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Marc C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Johnston
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D000068258:Bevacizumab