Role of front-line bevacizumab in advanced ovarian cancer: the OSCAR study

Objective Two randomized phase III trials demonstrated the efficacy and safety of combining bevacizumab with front-line carboplatin/paclitaxel for advanced ovarian cancer. The OSCAR (NCT01863693) study assessed the impact of front-line bevacizumab-containing therapy on safety and oncologic outcomes in patients with advanced ovarian cancer in the UK.

Methods Between May 2013 and April 2015, patients with high-risk stage IIIB–IV advanced ovarian cancer received bevacizumab (7.5 or 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks, typically for ≤12 months, per UK clinical practice) combined with front-line chemotherapy, with bevacizumab continued as maintenance therapy. Co-primary endpoints were progression-free survival and safety (NCI-CTCAE v4.0). Patients were evaluated per standard practice/physician’s discretion.

Results A total of 299 patients received bevacizumab-containing therapy. The median age was 64 years (range 31–83); 80 patients (27%) were aged ≥70 years. Surgical interventions were primary debulking in 21%, interval debulking in 36%, and none in 43%. Most patients (93%) received bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg with carboplatin/paclitaxel. Median duration of bevacizumab was 10.5 months(range <0.1–41.4); bevacizumab and chemotherapy were given in combination for a median of three cycles (range 1–10). Median progression-free survival was 15.4 (95% CI 14.5 to 16.9) months. Subgroup analyses according to prior surgery showed median progression-free survival of 20.8, 16.1, and 13.6 months in patients with primary debulking, interval debulking, and no surgery, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 16.1 vs 14.8 months in patients aged <70 versus ≥70 years, respectively. The 1-year overall survival rate was 94%. Grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 54% of patients, the most common being hypertension (16%) and neutropenia (5%). Thirty-five patients (12%) discontinued bevacizumab for toxicity (most often for proteinuria (2%)).

Conclusions Median progression-free survival in this study was similar to that in the high-risk subgroup of the ICON7 phase III trial. Median progression-free survival was shortest in patients who did not undergo surgery.