Bevacizumab plus chemotherapy and deep electro-hyperthermia improves the outcomes of patients with advanced colon cancer

This study investigated the effectiveness of bevacizumab plus chemotherapy and deep electro-hyperthermia (DEH) for advanced colon cancer (CC). Researchers suggested that this treatment improves the outcomes of these patients. 

Colorectal cancer is a common cancer worldwide. Around 50-60% of these patients develop metastases (spread to other parts of the body). In advanced cases, chemotherapy such as FOLFOX (folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) is only of limited effectiveness. Therefore, the addition of other agents improves treatment action and tumor response. 

Bevacizumab (Avastin) is a targeted therapy that blocks a protein that stops the tumor from forming blood vessels. This stops tumors from growing. Prior studies demonstrated its effectiveness as a first-line treatment for colorectal cancer.  

Hyperthermia increases the temperature of the tumor up to 40-45°C to improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy. DEH generates this heat through electrical impulses. Prior studies on the effectiveness of bevacizumab and chemotherapy plus DEH in patients with metastatic CC are lacking.

This study included information about 40 patients with advanced CC. These patients were treated with bevacizumab plus FOLFOX-4 chemotherapy and DEH. DEH therapy was received every week for 50 minutes during and between bevacizumab treatment. Patients were followed up at 3 and 6 months after treatment. 

After 6 months, 89.5% of patients had disease control, meaning the tumor had drunk or did not grow or spread. The average time without tumor worsening was 12.1 months. The average survival of patients was 21.4 months.

Treatment was well tolerated. One patient had to stop treatment due to nerve damage, but still continued treatment with bevacizumab and chemotherapy. The most common side effects were nausea, vomiting, and tiredness. No significant side effects associated were DEH were observed. 

This study concluded that first-line treatment with bevacizumab plus FOLFOX-4 and DEH is a good and safe therapy for patients with advanced colon cancer. 

This study included a limited number of participants. It did not include a control group for comparison.