Bevacizumab in combination with capecitabine and irinotecan (XELIRi) in treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

Summary

Backgrounds:
Incidence and mortality rates of colorectal malignancies in the Czech Republic are one of the highest in the world since over 7,500 patients are diagnosed yearly. About 25% of patients are diagnosed in clinical stage IV and in average more than 50% of patients who are diagnosed initially with resectable disease will relapse sooner or later. Management of palliative treatment of colorectal cancer therefore is becoming of a great importance.

Observation:
We designed a study protocol in 2005 and 16 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were treated accordingly in the first line setting with XELIRI regimen (capecitabin, irinotecan) + bevacizumab. The regimen has proven high antitumor effectiveness (78% responses to treatment, median TTP: 12 months, 1-year survival reached 100% of patients) and excellent tolerance. No serious grade G3 or G4 toxicity was observed. Increase of blood pressure was observed sporadically within the group. We present below the case of 55 year old patient who underwent treatment of 4 cycles of XELIRI + bevacizumab and reached complete remission of the disease which lasted over the next 9 months (TTP 13 months).

Conclusion:
Successful choice of a regimen of the first line treatment determines the next course of a disease including duration of patient’s overall survival. We have confirmed within our pivotal population that combination treatment XELIRI + bevacizumab is a very effective and well tolerated regimen moreover suitable for administration at outpatient setting.

Key words:
colorectal cancer – chemotherapy – targeted therapy – bevacizumab – irinotecan – capecitabine