A retrospective observational study on the safety and efficacy of first-line treatment with bevacizumab combined with FOLFIRI in metastatic colorectal cancer

Background: Combination of bevacizumab and FOLFIRI has currently become one of the standard therapeutic regimens. However, published information is still limited. The objective of the present retrospective observational study is to analyse the response and toxicity of first-line treatment with FOLFIRI+bevacizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Methods: Data were collected from patients from nine Spanish sites diagnosed with mCRC, ECOG⩽2, whose first treatment for advanced disease was at least three cycles of FOLFIRI+bevacizumab. Results: A total of 95 patients were enrolled into the study: 64.2% males, median age of 59 years (53.2–67.1 years), ECOG=0–1 in 96.9% of patients. The main site of primary tumour was the colon (69.7%), and most metastases occurred in the liver (71.6%). Clinical benefit was detected in 67.4% (57.0–76.6; 95% confidence interval (CI)), with 8.4% of CR and 42.1% of PR. Median TTP was 10.6 months (10.0–11.3; 95% CI), PFS was 10.6 months (9.8–11.3; 95% CI), and OS was 20.7 months (17.1–24.2; 95% CI). Main grade I–II toxicities included haematological toxicity (35.8%), diarrhea (27.3%), mucositis (25.3%), asthenia (19.0%), haemorrhages (11.6%), and emesis (10.6%). Toxicities reaching grades III–IV were haematological toxicity (9.5%), diarrhea (8.5%), mucositis (5.3%), hepatic toxicity (2.1%), asthenia (2.1%), proteinuria (1.1%), emesis (1.1%), pain (1.1%), and colics (1.1%). Conclusion: Results of this study support the beneficial effect of adding bevacizumab to FOLFIRI regimen in terms of efficacy and show a favourable tolerability profile.