Main characteristics of the 120 study patients
| Bevacizumab group (n=80) | Chemotherapy group (n=40) | ||||
| Number | % | Number | % | p Value | |
| Sex | |||||
| Male/female | 34/46 | 42.50/57.50 | 21/19 | 52.50/47.50 | 0.300 |
| WHO PS | |||||
| 0 | 36 | 45.00 | 21 | 52.50 | 0.169 |
| 1 | 32 | 40.00 | 11 | 27.50 | |
| 2 | 12 | 15.00 | 6 | 15.00 | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5.00 | |
| Metastases | |||||
| Liver | 23 | 28.75 | 26 | 65.00 | 0.001 |
| Extrahepatic site(s) | 19 | 23.75 | 5 | 12.50 | |
| Both | 38 | 47.50 | 9 | 22.50 | |
| Chemotherapy* | |||||
| LV5FU | 6 | 7.50 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.001 |
| FOLFIRI | 39 | 48.75 | 9 | 22.50 | |
| FOLFOX | 35 | 43.75 | 31 | 77.50 | |
| Response after 2 months (RECIST) | |||||
| CR | 6 | 7.50 | 3 | 7.50 | 0.232 |
| PR | 30 | 37.50 | 13 | 32.50 | |
| SD | 31 | 38.75 | 11 | 27.50 | |
| PD | 13 | 16.25 | 13 | 32.50 | |
| Progression during first-line treatment | 64 | 80.00 | 28 | 70.00 | |
| Death | 58 | 72.50 | 18 | 45.00 | |
| Kras status | |||||
| Wild-type | 40 | 50.00 | 17 | 42.50 | 0.683 |
| Mutated | 12 | 15.00 | 8 | 20.00 | |
| Unknown | 28 | 35.00 | 15 | 37.50 | |
| Mean (SD) | Median (min–max) | Mean (SD) | Median (min–max) | ||
| Age, years | 62.6 (11.1) | 62 (25–91) | 66.0 (10.8) | 67.5 (30–83) | 0.026 |
| Weight, kg | 68.1 (15.5) | 65 (41–110) | 68.5 (14.8) | 67.5 (43–100) | 0.747 |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 24.6 (4.5) | 23.6 (16.9–41.4) | 24.5 (4.4) | 23.6 (16.8–39.1) | 0.938 |
| Subcutaneous fat area, cm2 | 233.07 (174.20) | 193.92 (11.05–1279.79) | 216.73 (107.93) | 212.60 (42.51–528.92) | 0.987 |
| Visceral fat area, cm2 | 117.78 (62.97) | 117.58 (16.11–279.20) | 122.46 (52.33) | 116.83 (26.43–229.22) | 0.5969 |
| CEA, ng/ml (n=72/n=40) | 947.6 (6343) | 12 (0–53890) | 732.7 (2923) | 22 (0–18380) | 0.1853 |
↵* FOLFIRI, LV5FU2 regimen plus irinotecan 180 mg/m2 every 2 weeks; FOLFOX, LV5FU2 regimen plus oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2; LV5FU2, leucovorin 400 mg/m2 followed by 5-fluorouracil as a 400 mg/m2 bolus then a 2400 mg/m2 infusion over 46 h.
BMI, body mass index; CEA, carcinoembryonic antigen level in serum; CR, complete remission; PD, progressive disease; PR, partial remission; RECIST, Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours; SD, stable disease; WHO PS, performance status according to the World Health Organization.