Afatinib Treatment Alone or with Bevacizumab in a Real-World Cohort of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Previous studies of first-generation EGFR-TKI erlotinib and bevacizumab combination have demonstrated superior treatment efficacy compared to erlotinib monotherapy for advanced EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients. Whether this combination benefit can also be observed in second-generation EGFR-TKI afatinib-treated patients remains unclear. The study presented a real-world cohort of advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation treated by afatinib plus bevacizumab or single-agent afatinib. After balancing the key characteristics between the two treatment groups, the result showcased a similar therapeutic efficacy of afatinib plus bevacizumab compared to afatinib monotherapy. The incidence of drug-resistant mutation was also similar between the two groups. This study provided a clinical practice-based evidence that the additional benefit of bevacizumab is likely moderate in afatinib-treated patients. ABSTRACT: Background: Treatment outcome between afatinib alone or with bevacizumab in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation remains insufficiently reported. Methods: A total of 405 advanced NSCLC patients with sensitizing-EGFR mutation receiving first-line single-agent afatinib or with bevacizumab were grouped and propensity score-matched. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and secondary T790M mutation were analyzed. Results: In the original cohort, 367 (90.6%) patients received afatinib treatment alone and 38 (9.4%) patients received afatinib plus bevacizumab. Patients who received bevacizumab combination were significantly younger (54.6 ± 10.9 vs. 63.9 ± 11.5; p < 0.001) compared to the afatinib alone group. After propensity score matching, the afatinib alone and afatinib plus bevacizumab groups contained 118 and 34 patients, respectively. A non-significantly higher objective response was noted in the afatinib plus bevacizumab group (82.4% vs. 67.8%; p = 0.133). In the propensity score-matched cohort, a bevacizumab add-on offered no increased PFS (16.1 vs. 15.0 months; p = 0.500), risk reduction of progression (HR 0.85 [95% CI, 0.52–1.40]; p = 0.528), OS benefit (32.1 vs. 42.0 months; p = 0.700), nor risk reduction of death (HR 0.85 [95% CI, 0.42–1.74] p = 0.660) compared to the single-agent afatinib. The secondary T790M rate in afatinib plus bevacizumab and afatinib alone groups was similar (56.3% vs. 49.4%, p = 0.794). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that EGFR L858R (OR 0.51 [95% CI, 0.26–0.97]; p = 0.044), EGFR uncommon mutation (OR 0.14 [95% CI, 0.02–0.64]; p = 0.021), and PFS longer than 12 months (OR 2.71 [95% CI, 1.39–5.41]; p = 0.004) were independent predictors of secondary T790M positivity. Conclusion: Bevacizumab treatment showed moderate efficacy in real-world, afatinib-treated NSCLC patients with EGFR-sensitizing mutation.