Bevacizumab for the treatment of nonsquamous non-small-cell lung cancer in Portugal: a retrospective, multicenter study

Figures & data

Table 1 Summary of key demographic characteristics

Variable	Absolute frequency	Relative frequency	Other frequency measures
Age (years)
<65	29	78.4%	Median 53 years (29; 75)
≥65	8	21.6%
Sex
Male	29	78.4%	Median age 55 years (29; 75)
Female	8	21.6%	Median age 48 years (42; 66)
Histologic type
Adenocarcinoma	35	94.6%
Poorly differentiated carcinoma	2	5.4%
Stage (TNM)
IIIB	6	16.2%
IV	31	83.8%
Comorbidities
Smoker	23	62.1%
COPD	4	10.8%
Tuberculosis	4	10.8%
Alcoholism	2	5.4%
Arterial hypertension	6	16.2%
Diabetes mellitus	1	2.7%
Dyslipidemia	3	8.1%
Ischemic heart disease	1	2.7%
Heart failure	1	2.7%
Cerebrovascular disease	1	2.7%
Previous cancer	3	8.1%
– Urothelial cancer	1	2.7%
– Prostate adenocarcinoma	1	2.7%
– Carcinoma in situ of the vocal cord	1	2.7%
Others
Neurofibromatosis	1	2.7%
Psoriasis	1	2.7%
Splenectomy	1	2.7%
Hematologic diseases
– Polycythemia vera	1	2.7%
– Idiopathic myelofibrosis	1	2.7%
ECOG performance status
0	12	32.4%
1	24	64.9%
2	1	2.7%

Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ECOG, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group; TNM, TNM Classification of Malignant Tumors, 6th Edition.

Table 2 Treatment characteristics and patient status

Variable	Absolute frequency	Relative frequency
Chemotherapy regimen (plus bevacizumab)
Platinum and paclitaxel	9 (cis 4; carbo 5)	24.3% (10.8%; 13.5%)
Platinum and gemcitabine	25 (cis 3; carbo 22)	67.6% (8.1%; 59.5%)
Platinum and pemetrexed	3 (cis 2; carbo 1)	8.1% (5.4%; 2.7%)
Number of chemotherapy cycles (first-line)
≤3	4	10.8%
4	3	8.1%
5	2	5.4%
6	28	75.7%
Bevacizumab dose
7.5 mg/kg	36	97.3%
15 mg/kg	1	2.7%
Number of bevacizumab cycles
≤6	10	27.0%
7–12	14	37.8%
13–18	9	24.3%
19–24	1	2.7%
>24	3	8.1%
Second-line treatment	20	54.0%
Pemetrexed	16	43.2%
Erlotinib	3	8.1%
Others	1	2.7%
Third-line treatment and further	7	18.9%
Patient status
Receiving first-line treatment	10	27.0%
Alive with disease progression	11	29.7%
Unknown	1	2.7%
Death	15	40.5%

Abbreviations: cis, cisplatin; carbo, carboplatin.

Figure 1 Kaplan–Meier estimates of survival of 37 patients with nonsquamous NSCLC, stage IIIB/IV, treated with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. (A) The median event-free survival was 9.4 months (95% CI: 7.1–11.7) and (B) median overall survival was 21.5 months (95% CI: 12.6–30.5).

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; NSCLC, non-small-cell lung cancer.

Table 3 Adverse events reported during treatment with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab (grade 3 or higher) according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.02) of the National Cancer Institute

Adverse event	Absolute frequency	Relative frequency
Hematologic	13	35.1%
Anemia	1	2.7%
Neutropenia	10	27.0%
Thrombocytopenia	5	13.5%
Thrombocytosis	1	2.7%
Nonhematologic	9	24.3%
Arterial hypertension	4	10.8%
Proteinuria	0	0.0%
Hyponatremia	0	0.0%
Renal failure	1	2.7%
Thromboembolic event	1	2.7%
Hemoptysis	2	5.4%
Infection	1	2.7%
None	20	54.1%