RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The place of bevacizumab in therapy of patients with initially non-resectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) remains debated. Bevacizumab may increase the efficacy of chemotherapy but it may also maintain dormant micrometastases in a dormant state, eventually increasing the long-term likelihood of tumor relapse. The aim of this study was to explore this hypothesis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed in patients with initially non-resectable CRC liver metastases. Metastases were rendered resectable after chemotherapy with (cases) or without (controls) bevacizumab. Cases and controls were matched for synchronicity, number and maximal size of metastases. The main objective was the disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: A total of 82 patients were enrolled (41 in each group). The median DFS was 12.0 months in the bevacizumab group, and 10.2 months in the group treated with chemotherapy alone (p=0.26). CONCLUSION: We observed no significant effect on DFS for bevacizumab when added to chemotherapy in patients with initially non-resectable liver metastases. Prospective trials on this issue are warranted.
