Carboplatin and bevacizumab for recurrent malignant glioma

Over 65,000 primary brain tumors are diagnosed annually in the US alone. Malignant gliomas represent more than one-third of such cases. Despite advances in neuroimaging, surgical techniques, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the survival rate of this disease remains poor. The introduction of agents which disrupt the function of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its receptors to glioma therapy has resulted in an unusually high percentage of patients experiencing radiographic responses. Bevacizumab, approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma in 2009, has changed the field of neuro-oncology. The drug has been utilized as a single agent and in combination with the classic cytotoxic agents typically applied in this setting. Numerous studies have reported high response rates and encouraging extensions of time-to-progression. The optimal schedule and combination of bevacizumab with alternative drugs has not been identified. The current study presents the results of a retrospective analysis of the combination therapy utilizing bevacizumab with the alkylating agent carboplatin in patients with recurrent malignant glioma.