title: The efficacy and safety of capecitabine plus bevacizumab combination as first-line treatment in elderly metastatic colorectal cancer patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The optimal treatment in older persons with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is complicated by a lack of general agreement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of bevacizumab plus capecitabine combination in elderly mCRC patients who were not suitable for chemotherapy with irinotecan and oxaliplatin-containing regimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy years and older patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma were included in this retrospective study. Bevacizumab was administered at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg on day 1 as an intravenous (IV) infusion over 30-90 min every 21 days, and capecitabine was prescribed at 1000 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14 of the same 21-day schedule.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-two consecutive patients (47 men, 35 women) were included in the study. The mean age was 75.5 (SD 3.9, range 70-87). Half of the patients were older than 75 years. There were 55 patients (67.1 %) with a good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS: 0-1) and the remaining 27 patients (32.9 %) had a poor ECOG performance status (PS: 2). With a median follow-up period of 18.5 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10 months (95 % CI, 7.8-12.1) and the median OS was 25 months (95 % CI, 18.6-31.3). The main toxicities recorded were non-hematological. Thirty-one patients (37 %) experienced grade 3/4 adverse events, the most common being hand-foot syndrome (9.8 %). No fatal toxicity resulting from this regimen was recorded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the toxicity profile and survival outcomes, the combination regimen of capecitabine and bevacizumab is a potentially feasible treatment option in elderly mCRC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey. drmelike.ozcelik@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozcelik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Odabas
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ercelep
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mert
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Surmeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oyman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Haydarpasa Numune Education and Research Hospital, 34668, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Oven Ustaalioglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Education and Research Hospital, 34865, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aliustaoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Bezmialem Vakif University School of Medicine, 34093, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gumus
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000069287:Capecitabine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069287:Capecitabine
keywords: Bevacizumab; Capecitabine; Elderly; Metastatic colorectal cancer; Older patients