Abstract
BACKGROUND: The incidence and spectrum of acute toxicities related to the use of bevacizumab (BVZ)-containing regimens in children are largely unknown. This report describes the adverse events in a recently completed large phase 2 trial of BVZ plus irinotecan (CPT-11) in children with recurrent central nervous system tumors. METHODS: Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium trial-022 evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of BVZ (10 mg/kg administered intravenously) as a single agent for 2 doses given 2 weeks apart and then combined with CPT-11 every 2 weeks (1 course = 4 weeks) in children with recurrent central nervous system tumors. Children were treated until they experienced progressive disease, unacceptable toxicity or completed up to a maximum of 2 years of therapy. Toxicities were graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0. Patients who received at least 1 dose of BVZ were included for toxicity assessment. RESULTS: Between October 2006 and June 2010, 92 patients evaluable for toxicity were enrolled and received 687 treatment courses. The most common toxicities attributable to BVZ included grade I-III hypertension (38% of patients), grade I-III fatigue (30%), grade I-II epistaxis (24%), and grade I-IV proteinuria (22%). Twenty-two patients (24%) stopped therapy due to toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of BVZ and CPT-11 was fairly well-tolerated, and most severe BVZ-related toxicities were rare, self-limiting, and manageable.