LAUSR

Methods: The medical records of all patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced-stage non-squamous NSCLC, treated with first-line bevacizumab (plus chemotherapy) at the Oncology Clinic of “Sotiria” Athens University Hospital between January 2008 and December 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Selected patients were stratified according to age, i.e. elderly (> 70 years) vs non-elderly ( 70 years), ECOG PS (0-1 vs 2-3) and other demographic, clinicopathological and treatment data. Main outcome measures were overall survival (OS) and treatment-related toxicity. Results: A total of 145 cases (mean age/SD1⁄461.7 6 10.6 years) were included. 23,4% of patients were elderly, while 15.8% had poor PS (2-3). Maintenance bevacizumab (with or without pemetrexed) was administered in 24.1% of all cases, including only patients with good PS, and mainly non-elderly. The presence of comorbidities was significantly associated with poor PS and age> 70 years. No statistically significant difference with regard to OS, or type and frequency of side effects was observed between elderly and non-elderly patients. A similar toxicity profile was also observed between patients with good versus poor PS. Absence of maintenance bevacizumab and poor PS were both significantly associated with reduced OS, both in univariate [HR (95% CI): 0.45 (0.220.9); p1⁄4 0.023 and HR (95% CI): 2.16 (1.29-3.64); p1⁄4 0.004, respectively] and in multivariate analysis [[HR (95% CI): 0.47 (0.22-0.99); p1⁄4 0.048 and HR (95% CI): 1.76 (1.04-3.00); p1⁄4 0.036, respectively].