First-generation EGFR-TKI plus bevacizumab and chemotherapy for advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of different treatment modalities for previously untreated advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: This retrospective study included 196 advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous NSCLC. 107 received EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) monotherapy (T), 53 received EGFR-TKI + bevacizumab (T + A), and 36 received EGFR-TKI + bevacizumab + chemotherapy (T + A + C). The endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) and adverse events (AEs). RESULTS: The median PFS was 27 months in the T + A + C group, 17 months in the T + A group, and 10 months in the T group. The multivariate analysis showed lower disease progression in the T + A + C group (HR, 0.377; 95% CI, 0.224–0.634; p < .001). Subgroup analysis showed that the T + A + C group did significantly improve PFS in patients with metastatic organs ≥2, brain metastases, liver metastases, and EGFR 19del compared to T + A group. No significant improvement in OS in the T + A + C group versus the T + A group, but a significant benefit in the subgroup of patients with metastatic organs ≥2. We also performed a subgroup analysis of the T + A + C group versus the T group, which similarly showed that the T + A + C group had better PFS than the T group in most subgroups, and the T + A + C group significantly improved OS in patients with metastatic organ ≥2 and liver metastases compared with the T group. The ORR was significantly higher in the T + A + C group than A + T and T groups (83.3% vs 71.7% vs 60.7%, p = .033). In safety, the T + A + C group had a higher incidence of AEs, but the majority was grade 1–2. The most frequent AEs of grade ≥ 3 were leukopenia (8.3%) and increased aminotransferase (8.3%) in the T + A + C group. CONCLUSIONS: First-generation EGFR-TKI plus bevacizumab plus chemotherapy was a promising strategy for advanced EGFR-mutated non-squamous NSCLC.