title: Bevacizumab rescue therapy extends the survival in patients with recurrent malignant glioma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We retrospectively studied the efficacy of bevacizumab as salvage therapy for recurrent malignant glioma with a focus on the overall survival (OS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who received a therapy other than surgery for recurrent malignant glioma were included. Efficacy was evaluated using MRI. Neurological function was evaluated using the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO). The survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one patients with recurrent glioma (31 grade III, 20 grade IV) were included. Among them, 22 subjects (43.1%) received bevacizumab. The median OS was 10.2 months (range, 1 to 27 months). Patients receiving bevacizumab had comparable OS (a median of 9.9 vs. 10.0 months) and similar 6-month survival rate (43% vs. 34%) to those who did not receive bevacizumab. A subgroup analysis failed to notice any significant difference in grade III glioma patients receiving bevacizumab vs. those who did not. The median survival was significantly longer at 8.9 months (range, 4 to 13 months) in grade IV glioma patients receiving bevacizumab than in those who did not (5.6 months, range, 2 to 7 months, P=0.042). The 6-month survival rate was higher (83%) in those who received bevacizumab than in those who did not (47%, P=0.046). No grade 3/4 adverse events were observed in any patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bevacizumab, as a rescue therapy, provides a survival benefit for recurrent grade IV glioma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Guangdong 999 Brain Hospital, Guangzhou 510510, China.
authors.forename: Lin-Bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ming-Yao
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Chang-Guo
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Zong-De
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.forename: Wei-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Jun-Jie
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhen
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Li-Chao
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: Bevacizumab; recurrent malignant glioma