Reinduction of Bevacizumab in Combination with Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin in a Patient with Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme Who Progressed on Bevacizumab/Irinotecan

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) carries a dismal prognosis despite the current standard of multimodality treatments. Recent studies showed promising results to a regimen consisting of a VEGF inhibitor, (bevacizumab) and a topoisomerase I inhibitor (irinotecan) [BI] in recurrent GBM. However, those patients with GBM who progress on BI will succumb to their disease generally in a very short period of time. We report a case of a 56-year-old male patient with GBM who declined surgical resection and received chemoradiation with temozolomide. This treatment was withheld secondary to significant thrombocytopenia. Subsequently, he achieved stable disease for 10 months with a regimen consisting of thalidomide and tamoxifen before progressing. This was followed by bevacizumab with irinotecan [BI], for which he had a significant partial response for 8 months with subsequent progression. Reinducing the patient with bevacizumab in combination with a pegylated liposomal doxorubicin [PLD] (a topoisomerase II inhibitor) demonstrated antitumor activity with significant shrinkage of contrast enhancing mass and peritumoral edema.