Phase 2 study of S-1 and carboplatin plus bevacizumab followed by maintenance S-1 and bevacizumab for chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND A previous phase 3 trial demonstrated noninferiority in terms of overall survival for combined S-1 (an oral fluoropyrimidine) and carboplatin compared with combined paclitaxel and carboplatin as first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the current study, the authors evaluated the efficacy and safety of combined S-1, carboplatin, and bevacizumab followed by maintenance with S-1 and bevacizumab in chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. METHODS Patients received carboplatin (area under the concentration-time curve, 5 mg mL-1 per minute) and bevacizumab (15mg/kg) on day 1 plus oral S-1 (80 mg/m2 per day) on days 1 through 14 every 21 days for up to 6 cycles. For patients without disease progression, S-1 and bevacizumab were continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity developed. RESULTS Forty-eight patients were enrolled in the phase 2 study; of these, 35 patients (72.9%) completed at least 4 cycles. Most toxicities of grade 3 were hematologic, and no increase in relative incidence associated with maintenance with S-1 and bevacizumab was observed. The objective response rate was 54.2% (95% confidence interval, 39.2%-68.6%), and the median progression-free survival was 6.8 months (95% confidence interval, 4.3-8.2 months). CONCLUSIONS The regimen of combined S-1, carboplatin, and bevacizumab followed by maintenance with S-1 and bevacizumab was active and feasible as first-line treatment for advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. Cancer 2013;119:2275-2281. (c) 2013 American Cancer Society.