Hypertension as a predictive biomarker in bevacizumab treatment for colorectal cancer patients

Med Oncol. 2013 Mar;30(1):327. doi: 10.1007/s12032-012-0327-4. Epub 2012 Dec 20.

Abstract

Bevacizumab treatment is associated with an increased risk of hypertension (HTN), a potential marker for effectiveness. We aimed to assess whether grades 2-3 HTN during bevacizumab treatment was associated with increased overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS). One hundred and eighty-one patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), who were treated in our Department from January 2009-February 2011 were included. Bevacizumab was administered jointly with standard first- or second-line chemotherapy protocols. Blood pressure was measured before each treatment. HTN was graded using common toxicity criteria. There were 181 CRC patients. Grades 2-3 HTN developed in 81 patients (44.75 %) but not in 100 patients (55.25 %); no patient developed grades 4-5 HTN. Median follow-up was 15.2 months. HTN was associated with better OS in HTN-positive versus HTN-negative patients (median not reached vs. 36.8 months, p = 0.029) and better PFS (29.9 vs. 17.2 months, p = 0.024, respectively). Bevacizumab-related HTN may represent a biomarker for clinical benefit in metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / therapeutic use*
  • Bevacizumab
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / chemically induced*
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
  • Bevacizumab