Cetuximab plus Bevacizumab-Based Chemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer

Cetuximab was associated with significantly shorter progression-free survival in patients with KRAS mutations.

Standard chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) combines bevacizumab (Avastin) plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with either oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) or irinotecan (Camptosar). One prior study showed that bevacizumab-based combination therapy might be enhanced by cetuximab (Erbitux), an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor that is active in refractory disease (J Clin Oncol 2007; 25:4557). Cetuximab also has been shown to enhance tumor response and prolong progression-free survival (PFS) when combined with first-line chemotherapy in CRC patients with KRAS wild-type tumors (JW Oncol Hematol Oct 22 2008 and Mar 3 2009).

To further evaluate the effectiveness of adding cetuximab to first-line bevacizumab-based chemotherapy, inves…

Reviewing Author

David H. Ilson, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAstraZeneca; Merck; Taiho; Astellas; Bristol Myers Squibb; Regeneron; Oncolys; Amgen; Daiichi Sankyo

David H. Ilson, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAstraZeneca; Merck; Taiho; Astellas; Bristol Myers Squibb; Regeneron; Oncolys; Amgen; Daiichi Sankyo