Efficacy and safety of first-line bevacizumab (Bv) and cisplatin/gemcitabine (CG) in elderly patients (pts) with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the BO17704 study (AVAiL)

Abstract

8050 Background: AVAiL, an international, placebo-controlled, phase III trial, evaluated Bv plus CG in pts with previously untreated advanced, non-squamous NSCLC, with performance status 0/1. A retrospective analysis was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of Bv plus CG in the subpopulation of elderly pts (≥65 years [yrs]). Methods: 1,043 pts (age 20–83) were randomized to C 80mg/m2 and G 1,250mg/m2 q3w for up to 6 cycles plus either Bv 7.5mg/kg q3w (Bv 7.5; n=345), Bv 15mg/kg q3w (Bv 15; n=351) or placebo (Pl; n=347). Bv/Pl was administered until disease progression. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (RR) and safety. Efficacy and safety were compared between pts <65 yrs vs ≥65 yrs. Results: Efficacy data were available for 304 pts ≥65 yrs (median age 68), and 739 pts <65 yrs (median age 55). Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups. In the Bv arms, 179 pts (93%) received ≥1 cycle of treatment; 85 (47.5%) completed >6 cycles. Bv-treated pts ≥65 yrs derived an improvement in PFS compared to Pl (Bv 7.5: HR 0.71, p 0.023; Bv 15: HR 0.84, p= 0.25). ORRs were 40%, 29% and 30% for pts ≥65 in the Bv 7.5, Bv 15 and Pl arms. Survival was similar in all treatment arms regardless of age, (pts ≥65 Bv 7.5 HR 0.84; Bv 15 HR 0.88, p=NS). Safety data were available for 284 pts ≥65 yrs and 702 pts <65 yrs. There were no safety signals of concern in older patients. Grade ≥3 toxicities occurred in 84%, 80% and 80% of older pts treated with Bv 7.5, Bv 15 and Pl. Pts ≥65 yrs had no episodes of severe hemoptysis, but in Bv 7.5 and Pl arms, were more likely to have other bleeding, compared to pts <65. The incidence of hypertension and febrile neutropenia were similar in pts ≥65 and <65 yrs. Treatment-related deaths were not increased in Bv-treated pts ≥65 yrs vs pts <65 yrs or in Bv-arms vs Pl. Conclusions: The PFS benefit from Bv-based treatment in the elderly subpopulation is similar to that observed in the overall patient population. No particular safety signals were identified in this population, suggesting acceptable tolerability of Bv in elderly pts in AVAiL. [Table: see text]