Dr. Bekaii-Saab on the Benefits Derived With Bevacizumab Plus TAS-102 in mCRC

Tanios S. Bekaii-Saab, MD, FACP, medical oncologist, medical director, Cancer Clinical Research Office, vice chair and section chief, Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses the addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102; Lonsurf) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Previous data have suggested that the addition of bevacizumab to TAS-102 may provide an advantage over TAS-102 alone in patients with refractory mCRC, according to Bekaii-Saab. Therefore, when possible, this combination has been administered to provide extra benefit following treatment with regorafenib (Stivarga), Bekaii-Saab says. With this regimen, survival has extended to approximately 18 months, when average survival in this population can generally range from 2 to 3 months without treatment, Bekaii-Saab explains. 

Meaningful improvements are observed in patients who do see benefit with the regimen, although some may question whether a 1.5-month improvement is worth it, Bekaii-Saab adds. Some patients who were on the phase 2 REDOS trial (NCT04534218) from several years ago are still on treatment with the regimen, according to Bekaii-Saab. These patients received TAS-102 following regorafenib, and they are still alive over 2 years later, Bekaii-Saab concludes.