A randomized phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found no significant difference in overall survival between 317 patients receiving erlotinib plus placebo and 319 patients receiving erlotinib plus bevacizumab (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.80-1.18; P = .7583). Although study design precluded comparing secondary end point statistically, progression-free survival (PFS) seemed to be longer in the bevacizumab group than in the control group (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.52-0.75) and the objective response rate suggested some clinical activity of bevacizumab plus erlotinib. The researchers concluded that despite the fact that they did not test a maintenance concept, the combination could be useful in specific subsets of patients with recurrent or refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Complete result are published in the May 28, 2011, issue of The Lancet (http://www.lancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)60545-X/abstract).