Impact of Bevacizumab

The mechanism of action of bevacizumab and erlotinib is quite different in the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study sought to compare the two targeted therapies in terms of sequential tumor response metrics.Parameters of radiological tumor response evaluation were assessed at baseline and periodically in 58 patients receiving either bevacizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy (N=25) or erlotinib (N=33).Bevacizumab-treated patients had lower longest diameter at best response compared to the erlotinib group (p=0.011). The longest diameter, tumor volume and density significantly decreased from baseline to best response for the entire cohort and bevacizumab-treated patients; no difference was found in the erlotinib group.Treatment with bevacizumab substantially improved tumor metrics between baseline and each cycle of treatment, as well as between baseline and best response, in patients with advanced NSCLC.