title: First-Line Treatment with Bevacizumab and Platinum Doublet Combination in Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study in US Oncology Community Practices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Real-world evidence is lacking on the impact of bevacizumab added to carboplatin/paclitaxel (Bev + CP) therapy versus CP alone for patients with non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC), particularly in those excluded from clinical trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective electronic medical record analysis of patients who received first-line therapy with Bev + CP or CP between 1 October 2006 and 30 June 2013. We identified four subsets: elderly patients (≥65 years), patients with brain/central nervous system (CNS) metastases, patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) ≥2, and patients receiving anticoagulation. We used descriptive statistics to describe patient characteristics and treatment patterns and evaluated progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) using survival analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 431 patients (Bev + CP: 231; CP: 200). The Bev + CP cohort was more likely to receive four or more cycles of induction therapy (72 vs. 50 %) and was more likely to receive maintenance therapy (45 vs. 21 %) than patients receiving CP. In the overall population, median PFS and OS were significantly longer in the Bev + CP cohort than in the CP cohort: 6.7 vs. 5.1 months (hazard ratio [HR] 0.74; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.92; p = 0.008) and 11.9 vs. 9.0 months (HR 0.57; 95 % CI 0.44-0.73; p < 0.001), respectively. Treatment with Bev + CP in patients aged ≥65 years and in those with brain/CNS metastases was also associated with a significant risk reduction in PFS (35 and 51 %, respectively; p < 0.05 for both) and OS (46 and 62 %, respectively; p < 0.05 for both) compared with CP alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bev + CP is associated with a significant improvement in PFS and OS in patients with NS-NSCLC and in subsets with brain/CNS metastases and those aged ≥65 years.
authors.affiliation: Xcenda LLC, 4114 Woodlands Parkway, Suite 500, Palm Harbor, FL, USA. orsolya.lunacsek@xcenda.com.
authors.forename: Orsolya E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Lunacsek
authors.affiliation: Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
authors.forename: Arliene
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravelo
authors.affiliation: Xcenda LLC, 4114 Woodlands Parkway, Suite 500, Palm Harbor, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Anna D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
authors.forename: Sebastien J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hazard
authors.affiliation: Xcenda LLC, 4114 Woodlands Parkway, Suite 500, Palm Harbor, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Xcenda LLC, 4114 Woodlands Parkway, Suite 500, Palm Harbor, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Willey
authors.affiliation: Xcenda LLC, 4114 Woodlands Parkway, Suite 500, Palm Harbor, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eaddy
authors.affiliation: Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Goertz