Purpose: Bevacizumab is an active anti-angiogenic agent in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. Temozolomide can prolong survival in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. At recurrence, alternate dosing of temozolomide has shown to further deplete methyl-guanine-methyltransferase (MGMT) conferring added activity for patients who have progressed on the standard dosing regimen. In this study, bevacizumab plus biweekly temozolomide was evaluated for efficacy in adult patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
Methods: Thirty patients with recurrent glioblastoma were treated with bevacizumab on (10 mg/kg i.v.) days 1 and 15 of a 28-day cycle combined with temozolomide (100 mg/m2) on days 1-5 and 15-19 on a 28-day cycle. Responses were assessed at week 4 and then every 8 weeks. MGMT status and quality of life measures were also assessed.
Results: Overall response rate from diagnosis was 51 weeks, the 6-month progression-free survival was 52%, and median time to tumor progression was 5.5 months.
Conclusion: Bevacizumab plus bi-weekly temozolomide was well tolerated and may be a salvage regimen to be considered in a subset of patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
Keywords: Bevacizumab; Glioblastoma; Methyl-guanine; Methyltransferase; Temozolomide.