title: Bevacizumab for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer: a retrospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine response rates (RR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity in patients treated with cytotoxic chemotherapy, in combination with bevacizumab compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy alone, in the setting of recurrent ovarian cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  After obtaining Institutional Review Board approval, two cohorts of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer were identified: 1) patients that received cytotoxic chemotherapy with bevacizumab from January 2006 to June 2009; 2) patients that received cytotoxic chemotherapy alone. RR were measured using RECIST criteria or by CA-125 levels using modified Rustin criteria. RR, OS, and PFS were determined using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-two patients that received bevacizumab in combination with cytotoxic chemotherapy and 32 patients that received cytotoxic chemotherapy alone were identified. The control patients were matched for age, platinum response, histology, surgical outcome, grade, and number of previous chemotherapy regimens. There were no differences between the two cohorts in the rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE) (p = 0.39), bleeding (p = 0.15) or bowel obstruction (p = 0.40). The rate of hypertension in the bevacizumab cohort was greater than in the comparison cohort (p < 0.005). There were no differences in response rates PR/CR vs SD/PD (p = 0.46), OS (p = 0.79) or PFS (p = 0.43).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With increased toxicity, increased cost of therapy and no improvement in PFS or OS, the role of bevacizumab in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Akers
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riebandt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Groman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Odunsi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab