Bevacizumab in combination with oxaliplatin and doxorubicin or liposomal doxorubicin for hepatocellular cancer: a case series.

Aims: Despite the emergence of sorafenib as the standard treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular cancer (HCC), therapy remains sub-optimal and toxic.

Methods: We report on five patients with advanced HCC treated with bevacizumab, oxaliplatin and doxorubicin or liposomal doxorubicin.

Results: Of the five patients, four had cirrhosis; two patients had Child-Pugh A cirrhosis, while one each had Child-Pugh B and C cirrhosis. Grade 3/4 toxicity was uncommon. Four patients had a decrease of ≥50% in alpha-fetoprotein levels following therapy and one patient each had a radiographic complete response and stable disease.

Conclusion: These data add to the growing phase II data that bevacizumab-containing regimens are active in advanced HCC patients. Further evaluation of regimens containing bevacizumab with oxaliplatin and/or doxorubicin may be warranted.