Addition of Bevacizumab to First-Line Palliative Chemotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Study

Laura M. Legue*, Felice N. van Erning, Nienke Bernards, Valery E. P. P. Lemmens, Ignace H. J. T. de Hingh, Geert-Jan Creemers

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background Data about the use and effectiveness of targeted therapy in metastatic small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA) are scarce. Objective The aim of this population-based study was to obtain insights into the use and effectiveness of targeted therapy in patients with synchronous metastases of SBA. Patients and methods Data were retrieved from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Patients treated with palliative chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy for synchronous metastatic SBA between 2007 and 2016 were included (n = 187). Differences in treatment and the subsequent effects on overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Results In first-line treatment, 25 patients (13%) received additional targeted therapy, exclusively bevacizumab, and mostly in combination with CAPOX/FOLFOX (n = 24). A primary ileal tumour was predictive for receiving bevacizumab in first-line treatment (odds ratio 3.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06-9.93). Median OS for patients in whom bevacizumab was added to first-line chemotherapy was 9.3 months, compared to 9.1 months with chemotherapy only (p = 0.85). Median OS for patients receiving first-line treatment only was 8.5 months with and 6.4 months without the addition of bevacizumab, respectively (p = 0.54). In multivariable survival analyses, the addition of bevacizumab was no prognostic factor (hazard ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.65-1.59). Conclusions Bevacizumab was the only prescribed targeted therapy in first-line treatment. Considering the limited number of patients receiving first-line bevacizumab and the unknown reasons to prescribe additional targeted therapy, the corresponding survival rates of patients treated with and without additional bevacizumab in first-line treatment might suggest a limited clinical effect of bevacizumab in addition to first-line palliative chemotherapy on OS. Future research should focus on identifying the subgroup of patients who might benefit OR benefiting from anti-VEGF therapy in metastatic SBA.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)699-705
Number of pages7
JournalTargeted Oncology
Volume14
Issue number6
Early online date17 Oct 2019
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2019

Keywords

  • PHASE-II
  • COLORECTAL-CANCER
  • PANITUMUMAB PLUS
  • SUPPORTIVE CARE
  • OPEN-LABEL
  • FLUOROURACIL
  • OXALIPLATIN
  • LEUCOVORIN
  • IRINOTECAN
  • CAPECITABINE

Cite this