Apatinib Safe, Effective for the Treatment of Advanced Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Findings from a study presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting suggest that apatinib, an oral anti-angiogenic drug meant to target vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2), may be an effective treatment for patients with advanced platinum-resistant relapsed epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).
“The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of apatinib in patients with advanced platinum-resistant relapsed EOC,” wrote Zhongmian Pan, MD, Department of Gynecology and Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, China, and colleagues.
Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical data on patients with IIIC-IV platinum-resistant relapsed EOC. Data between January 2014 and May 2018 on the objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) among selected patients were analyzed for this study.
The apatinib group consisted of 36 patients. The control group consisted of 72 patients. The follow-up concluded in January 2019 for this study, and the median follow-up time was 28 months.
In comparing patients in the apatinib group with those in the control group, the ORR was 30.56% vs 16.67%, and the DCR was 30.56% vs 16.67%, respectively. Patients in the apatinib group had a median PFS of 6.0 months, and a median OS of 15.8 months. Patients in the control group had a median PFS of 3.3 months, and a median OS of 9.2 months. These findings suggest that both the median PFS and OS were longer in the apatinib group.
When compared to chemotherapy, apatinib was found to more effectively reduce the risk of PFS [HR 0.40 (95% CI 0.22-0.76), P = 0.0017] and OS [HR 0.40 (95% CI 0.21-0.73), P = 0.002]. Hypertension, hand-foot syndrome, and oral mucosal ulcers were the most common grade 3/ 4 toxicites experienced by those in the apatinib group.
“Apatinib therapy was an effective treatment for patients with advanced platinum-resistant relapsed EOC,” concluded Dr Pan and colleagues, adding, “The toxicities were tolerable and manageable.”
Source:
Pan Z, Luo Z, He H, et al. Efficacy and safety of apatinib in the treatment of advanced platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer: A retrospective study. bstract presented at: ASCO Annual Meeting; June 3-7, 2022; Chicago, IL, and virtual. Abstract e17594.
