Bevacizumab as a steroid-sparing agent during immunotherapy for melanoma brain metastases: A case series.
bevacizumab
brain metastases
corticosteroids
immunotherapy
melanoma
Journal
Health science reports
ISSN: 2398-8835
Titre abrégé: Health Sci Rep
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101728855
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Mar 2019
Mar 2019
Historique:
received:
27
05
2018
revised:
02
11
2018
accepted:
04
01
2019
entrez:
3
4
2019
pubmed:
3
4
2019
medline:
3
4
2019
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Brain metastases are common in advanced melanoma and often necessitate corticosteroids such as dexamethasone to control symptoms and reduce peritumoral edema. Immunotherapy improves survival in metastatic melanoma, but concomitant treatment with corticosteroids may reduce efficacy. Here, we report the use of bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, as a steroid-sparing agent in melanoma patients with brain metastases treated with immunotherapy. Medical records and imaging were retrospectively analyzed for melanoma patients with brain metastases who received bevacizumab at our institution between 2012 and 2017. 12 melanoma patients with brain metastases received bevacizumab (5-7.5 mg/kg Q2-3 W; median 4 cycles, range 1-9). Patients were BRAF wild-type or resistant to BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy. All had progressive intracranial disease after prior resection, stereotactic radiosurgery and/or whole brain radiotherapy, and up to four lines of previous systemic treatment. Prior to bevacizumab, all patients had radiologically defined peritumoral edema and nine required dexamethasone for symptom control. In 10 evaluable patients, six reduced their dexamethasone dose by more than 50%, and eight displayed reduced edema 4 weeks after bevacizumab. Seven patients experienced adverse events possibly related to bevacizumab, including intracranial hemorrhage, hypertension, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Ten patients received immunotherapy after bevacizumab. Five patients survived more than 6 months, including one who remained disease-free after 4 years and without neurological deficit despite being hemiplegic from edematous brain metastases prior to bevacizumab. In 12 very poor prognosis melanoma patients with brain metastases, bevacizumab was well-tolerated, associated with improved symptoms and reduced peritumoral edema despite weaning steroids, and facilitated treatment with immunotherapy that provided durable survival in a substantial proportion of cases.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Brain metastases are common in advanced melanoma and often necessitate corticosteroids such as dexamethasone to control symptoms and reduce peritumoral edema. Immunotherapy improves survival in metastatic melanoma, but concomitant treatment with corticosteroids may reduce efficacy. Here, we report the use of bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, as a steroid-sparing agent in melanoma patients with brain metastases treated with immunotherapy.
METHODS
METHODS
Medical records and imaging were retrospectively analyzed for melanoma patients with brain metastases who received bevacizumab at our institution between 2012 and 2017.
RESULTS
RESULTS
12 melanoma patients with brain metastases received bevacizumab (5-7.5 mg/kg Q2-3 W; median 4 cycles, range 1-9). Patients were BRAF wild-type or resistant to BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy. All had progressive intracranial disease after prior resection, stereotactic radiosurgery and/or whole brain radiotherapy, and up to four lines of previous systemic treatment. Prior to bevacizumab, all patients had radiologically defined peritumoral edema and nine required dexamethasone for symptom control. In 10 evaluable patients, six reduced their dexamethasone dose by more than 50%, and eight displayed reduced edema 4 weeks after bevacizumab. Seven patients experienced adverse events possibly related to bevacizumab, including intracranial hemorrhage, hypertension, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Ten patients received immunotherapy after bevacizumab. Five patients survived more than 6 months, including one who remained disease-free after 4 years and without neurological deficit despite being hemiplegic from edematous brain metastases prior to bevacizumab.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
In 12 very poor prognosis melanoma patients with brain metastases, bevacizumab was well-tolerated, associated with improved symptoms and reduced peritumoral edema despite weaning steroids, and facilitated treatment with immunotherapy that provided durable survival in a substantial proportion of cases.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30937392
doi: 10.1002/hsr2.115
pii: HSR2115
pmc: PMC6427059
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
e115Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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