Bevacizumab for recurrent alkylator‐refractory anaplastic oligodendroglioma

BACKGROUND:

A retrospective evaluation of single agent bevacizumab was carried out in adults with recurrent alkylator‐refractory 1p19q codeleted anaplastic oligodendrogliomas (AO) with an objective of determining progression‐free survival (PFS). There is no standard therapy for alkylator‐resistant AO, and hence a need exists for new therapies.

METHODS:

Twenty‐two patients aged 24 to 60 years with recurrent AO were treated. All patients had previously been treated with surgery, radiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy (temozolomide, 17; carmustine wafers, 4; carmustine, 1), and 1 salvage regimen (procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine, 15; temozolomide, 6; carmustine wafers, 1). Eleven patients underwent repeat surgery. Patients were treated at second recurrence with bevacizumab, once every 2 weeks, defined as a single cycle. Neurological evaluation was performed every 2 weeks, and neuroradiographic assessment was made after the initial 2 cycles of bevacizumab and subsequently after every 4 cycles of bevacizumab.

RESULTS:

A total of 391 cycles of bevacizumab (median, 14.5 cycles; range, 2‐39 cycles) were administered. Bevacizumab‐related toxicity included fatigue (14 patients; 4 grade 3), leukopenia (9; 1 grade 3), anemia (5; 0 grade 3), hypertension (5; 1 grade 3), deep vein thrombosis (4; 1 grade 3), and wound dehiscence (2; 1 grade 3). Fifteen (68%) patients demonstrated a partial radiographic response, 1 (5.0%) demonstrated stable disease, and 6 (27%) demonstrated progressive disease after 2 cycles of bevacizumab. Time to tumor progression ranged from 1 to 18 months (median, 6.75 months). Survival ranged from 3 to 19 months (median, 8.5 months). Six‐month and 12‐month PFS were 68% and 23%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Bevacizumab demonstrated efficacy and acceptable toxicity in this cohort of adults with recurrent 1p19q codeleted alkylator‐refractory AO. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.