Safety and efficacy of second-line treatment with folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) in combination of panitumumab and bevacizumab for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

We investigated the efficacy and safety of a new second-line chemotherapy of combining folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) with both panitumumab and bevacizumab to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients with mCRC and unsuccessful previous oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy were included in the study. The FOLFIRI arm was given FOLFIRI only. The FOLFIRI+PB arm was given panitumumab (3 mg/kg) and bevacizumab (3 mg/kg) plus FOLFIRI every other week. Between 2009 and 2013, 155 and 137 patients were included in the FOLFIRI arm and FOLFIRI+PB arm, respectively. The response rate was 40.1 % for FOLFIRI+PB arm versus 30.1 % for FOLFIRI arm. The disease-controlled rate in FOLFIRI+PB arm was improved to 62.2 from 50.2 % in FOLFIRI arm. The median overall survival was 13.9 months in FOLFIRI+PB arm as compared to 10.7 months in FOLFIRI arm. A series of adverse events were comparable between two arms, whereas some of the antibody therapy-associated toxicities were observed in FOLFIRI+PB arm. The new strategy of combining panitumumab and bevacizumab with FOLFIRI as second-line chemotherapy for patients with mCRC is safe and feasible.