Efficacy and safety of bevacizumab plus erlotinib in patients with renal medullary carcinoma

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab plus erlotinib in patients with RMC. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with RMC treated with bevacizumab plus erlotinib at our institution. Results: Ten patients were included in the study. Two patients achieved a partial response (20%) and seven patients achieved stable disease (70%). Tumor burden was reduced in seven patients (70%) in total, and in three out of five patients (60%) that had received three or more prior therapies. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.5 months (95% CI, 1.8–5.2). The median overall survival (OS) from bevacizumab plus erlotinib initiation was 7.3 months (95% CI, 0.73–13.8) and the median OS from diagnosis was 20.8 months (95% CI, 14.7–26.8). Bevacizumab plus erlotinib was well tolerated with no grade ≥4 adverse events and one grade 3 skin rash. Dose reduction was required in one patient (10%). Conclusions: Bevacizumab plus erlotinib is clinically active and well tolerated in heavily pre-treated patients with RMC and should be considered a viable salvage strategy for this lethal disease.