This open-label study will assess the efficacy and safety of Avastin (bevacizumab) plus Xeloda (capecitabine) in combination with standard technique radiotherapy of the pelvic region in the neo-adjuvant setting in patients with locally advanced primary rectal cancer. Patients will receive 4 courses of Avastin at a dose of 5 mg/kg intravenously (iv) every 2 weeks and for 38 days Xeloda at dose of 825 mg/kg twice daily orally, plus radiation therapy. After surgery, adjuvant treatment with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin and, at the discretion of the investigator, with Avastin 5 mg/kg iv every 2 weeks for at least 6 months will be given.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
43
5 mg/kg intravenously every 2 weeks, 4 cycles
825 mg/m2 twice daily orally, 38 days
Total dose of 45 Gy over 38 days
6-8 weeks after completion of neoadjuvant treatment
Post-surgery adjuvant treatment at the discretion of the investigator: 5 mg/kg iv every 2 weeks for at least 6 months
Post-surgery adjuvant therapy: bolus of 400mg/m2 iv plus iv infusion of 600 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 2 of each 2-week cycle for 6 months
Post-surgery adjuvant treatment: 100 mg/m2 iv on Days 1 and 2 of each 2-week cycle for 6 months
Unnamed facility
Ancona, Italy
Unnamed facility
Bologna, Italy
Unnamed facility
Cuneo, Italy
Unnamed facility
Genova, Italy
Unnamed facility
Naples, Italy
Unnamed facility
Paola, Italy
Unnamed facility
Pisa, Italy
Unnamed facility
Roma, Italy
Unnamed facility
Siena, Italy
Percentage of Participants With Pathological Complete Response (pCR)
pCR was defined as the absence of viable tumor cells, as determined by standard histologic procedure, in the tumor specimen (including regional lymph nodes) obtained at surgery. In order to minimize evaluation bias, tumor specimens were analyzed by both a central and local pathologist. The number of participants with pathological tumor stage 0 (pT0) and regional lymph nodes stage 0 (pN0) at surgery was determined. pCR was defined as the number of participants with pT0 and pN0 at surgery divided by the total number of participants with pathological tumor stage data collected.
Time frame: 6 to 8 weeks following completion of neoadjuvant treatment
Percentage of Participants by Primary Tumor (T), Regional Lymph Nodes (N), and Distant Metastasis (M) Clinical Stage at Baseline and at the End of Neo-Adjuvant Treatment (NAT)
The frequencies of clinical tumor stage T (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or X), regional lymph nodes stage N (0, 1, 2, 3, or 4), and distant metastasis clinical stage M (0, 1, or X) at baseline and at the end of NAT were assessed. The frequencies of pathological tumor stage T and regional lymph nodes stage N at surgery were evaluated. The clinical tumor and lymph node status was assessed by clinical examination, endosonography, and/or rectosigmoidoscopy, and pelvic and abdomen computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Response to treatment had to be assessed within 6 weeks after end of treatment by using the same techniques performed at baseline.
Time frame: Baseline (BL) and end of neoadjuvant treatment (within 6 weeks after the completion of study treatment)
Percentage of Participants Undergoing Sphincter-Saving Surgery by Type of Procedure
Time frame: 6 to 8 weeks after completion of study treatment
Percentage of Participants With Complete Response (CR) at the End of Neoadjuvant Treatment
Percentage of participants with CR was evaluated as the proportion of participants with complete response for the target and non-target lesions, separately, at the end of NAT according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). CR was defined as disappearance of all target lesions or all non-target lesions and normalization of tumor marker levels.
Time frame: BL and within 6 weeks after the completion of study treatment
Percentage of Participants With an Overall Response of CR at the End of Neoadjuvant Treatment
Percentage of participants with an overall response of CR was evaluated as the proportion of participants with CR for the target and non-target lesions plus absence of new lesions at the end of NAT according to RECIST. CR was defined as disappearance of all target lesions, all non-target lesions, and normalization of tumor marker levels.
Time frame: BL and within 6 weeks after the completion of study treatment
Percentage of Participants With New Lesions at the Primary Tumor Site at the End of Neoadjuvant Treatment
The percentage of participants with new lesions located at the primary tumor site were evaluated at the end of NAT.
Time frame: BL and within 6 weeks after the completion of study treatment
Percentage of Participants With Relapse During Follow-Up
The percentage of participants with local and/or regional relapse during follow-up. New lesions located at rectum or at colon or at lymph node detected at the end of NAT were evaluated as local and/or regional relapse.
Time frame: BL, within 6 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment, every 2 weeks for 1 year following surgery, every 3 months thereafter until progression, up to 45 months
Disease-Free Survival (DFS) - Percentage of Participants With an Event
DFS was defined as the time from treatment start date to the date of first progression of disease or date of death due to any cause.
Time frame: BL, within 6 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment, every 2 weeks for 1 year following surgery, every 3 months thereafter until progression, up to 45 months
DFS - Time to Event
The time in months from date of start-of-treatment to the date of event defined as the first documented disease progression or death due to any cause. If a participant did not have an event, the time was censored at the date of last adequate tumor assessment. DFS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: BL, within 6 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment, every 2 weeks for 1 year following surgery, every 3 months thereafter until progression, up to 45 months
Overall Survival (OS) - Percentage of Participants With an Event
OS was defined as the time from the date of first day of treatment until death due to any cause or the last date the participant was known to be alive.
Time frame: BL, within 6 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment, every 2 weeks for 1 year following surgery, every 3 months thereafter until death, up to 45 months
OS - Time to Event
OS was defined as the time from the date of first day of treatment until death due to any cause or the last date the participant was known to be alive. OS was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: BL, within 6 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment, every 2 weeks for 1 year following surgery, every 3 months thereafter until death, up to 45 months
Time to Disease Progression (TTP) - Percentage of Participants With an Event
TTP was defined as the time from date of treatment start until first documented progression of disease or death due to underlying cancer.
Time frame: BL, within 6 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment, every 2 weeks for 1 year following surgery, every 3 months thereafter until death, up to 45 months
TTP - Time to Event
TTP was defined as the time from date of treatment start until first documented progression of disease or death due to underlying cancer. TTP was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
Time frame: BL, within 6 weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant treatment, every 2 weeks for 1 year following surgery, every 3 months thereafter until death, up to 45 months
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