Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy plus bevacizumab as neoadjuvant or conversion treatment for colorectal liver metastases (CLM).
Patients and methods: A retrospective chart review was carried out of 74 patients with CLM treated with neoadjuvant or conversion chemotherapy plus bevacizumab.
Results: The overall response rate was 63.4%. An optimal morphological response by computed tomography was reported in 35% of patients. The rate of complete resection was 71.6%. Complete or major pathological response (pR) was attained in 58.2%. The median overall survival (OS) was not reached. Median progression-free (PFS) and relapse-free (RFS) survival were 14.6 and 8.7 months. Among patients reaching an optimal pR, median OS was not reached (p=0.08), and a trend towards longer RFS and PFS was seen.
Conclusion: Neoadjuvant or conversion chemotherapy with bevacizumab is an active and tolerable option for CLM with minimal post-surgery complications. Optimal pR is associated with a longer OS and a trend for prolonged PFS and RFS.
Keywords: Bevacizumab; chemotherapy; colorectal cancer; liver metastases; pathological response.
Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.