title: First-line bevacizumab and capecitabine-oxaliplatin in elderly patients with mCRC: GEMCAD phase II BECOX study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Subgroup analyses of clinical studies suggest that bevacizumab plus XELOX is effective and tolerable in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The prospective BECOX study examined the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab plus XELOX, followed by bevacizumab plus capecitabine in elderly patients with mCRC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged ⩾70 years with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 out of 1 and confirmed mCRC were included. Patients received bevacizumab 7.5 mg kg(-1) and oxaliplatin 130 mg m(-2) on day 1, plus capecitabine 1000 mg m(-2) bid orally on days 1-14 every 21 days; oxaliplatin was discontinued after 6 cycles. The primary end point was time to progression (TTP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intent-to-treat population comprised 68 patients (65% male, median age 76 years). Median TTP was 11.1 months; median overall survival was 20.4 months; overall response rate was 46%. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events included diarrhoea (18%) and asthenia (16%). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events of special interest for bevacizumab included deep-vein thrombosis (6%) and pulmonary embolism (4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bevacizumab plus XELOX was effective and well tolerated in elderly patients in the BECOX study. The adverse-event profile was similar to previous reports; no new safety concerns were identified. Fit elderly patients with mCRC should be considered for treatment with bevacizumab plus XELOX.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario La Paz, 28046 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feliu
authors.affiliation: Hospital Arnau de Vilanova de Lleida, 25198 Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salud
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Clinico de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Safont
authors.affiliation: Hospital General Yagüe, 09005 Burgos, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Girón
authors.affiliation: Hospital La Fe de Valencia, 46026 Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aparicio
authors.affiliation: Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vera
authors.affiliation: Hospital de St Joan d'Espi Moises Broggi, 08970 Sant Joan Despi, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.affiliation: Hospital Infanta Sofía, 28702 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casado
authors.affiliation: Complejo Hospitalario Xeral Cíes, 36204 Vigo (Pontevedra), Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jorge
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clínico Universitario Lozano Blesa, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.affiliation: Hospital General de Valencia, Avenue Tres Cruces, 2, 46014 Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Doctor Negrin, 35010 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bohn
authors.affiliation: Hospital Quiron, 28223 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-Carrión
authors.affiliation: Hospital General Universitario Morales Meseguer, 30008 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carmona
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario La Paz, 28046 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martínez-Marín
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clinico y Provincial de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maurel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069287:Capecitabine; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil