BACKGROUND: A blood pressure drop after bevacizumab administration and its clinical significance have not been previously reported.
METHODS: Blood pressure data at 0, 90, and 180 min after a total of 162 bevacizumab administrations in 81 advanced colorectal cancer patients were retrospectively investigated.
RESULTS: Twenty-five patients (30%) demonstrated an average temporary drop of 20mmHg or more in systolic blood pressure. We classified these 25 patients as group A and the others as group B. Median time-to-treatment failure (TTF) was significantly longer in group A than in group B (291 vs 162 days; P = 0.02). Furthermore, the proportion of patients who required intervention with antihypertensive drugs during bevacizumab treatment was significantly higher in group A than in group B (36% vs 4%; P<0.01).
CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a temporary blood pressure drop after bevacizumab administration could be a predictive marker for bevacizumab treatment. British Journal of Cancer (2011) 105, 1693-1696. doi:10.1038/bjc.2011.398 www.bjcancer.com