title: Bevacizumab in association with de Gramont 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid in patients with oxaliplatin-, irinotecan-, and cetuximab-refractory colorectal cancer: a single-center phase 2 trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the current study was the investigation of the value of bevacizumab+5-fluorouracil(5-FU)/folinic acid in patients with advanced colorectal cancers who have exhausted standard chemotherapy options.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors included 48 heavily pretreated patients (colon:rectum, 33:15; men:women, 23:25; median age, 63 years; range, 27-79 years) whose disease had progressed during or within an oxaliplatin-based first-line chemotherapy, an irinotecan-based second-line regimen, and a third-line treatment with cetuximab plus weekly irinotecan. Bevacizumab was given at a dose of 5 mg/kg. 5-FU/folinic acid was administered according to the de Gramont schedule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 6.25%, and 30.4% of patients demonstrated stable disease as the best response. The median time to disease progression was 3.5 months (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.3-6.9 months), and the median survival time was 7.7 months (95% CI, 3.9-11.9 months). The most common grade 3 to 4 side toxicities (graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria [version 2.0]) were: diarrhea (20.8%), fatigue (14.5%), and stomatitis (12.5%). Grade 3 to 4 hemorrhage occurred in 8 patients (16.6%), including 4 cases of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract. Other relatively common adverse events such as hypertension, thrombosis, and bowel perforation were reported in 50%, 18.7%, and 4.16%, of patients respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data from the current study suggest a modest but significant clinical benefit of bevacizumab+de Gramont schedule in heavily pretreated colorectal cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spoto
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Venditti
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gasparro
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Bruno Beomonte
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Zobel
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caricato
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valeri
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tonini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000068818:Cetuximab; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019233:Retreatment
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000068818:Cetuximab; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil