“I think it’s really important that people keep signing up to these type of trials to push research forward.”
A trial looking at bevacizumab (Avastin) and chemotherapy for bowel cancer that has only spread to the liver (BOXER)
Cancer type:
Bowel (colorectal) cancer
Cancer spread to the liver
Secondary cancers
Status:
Results
Phase:
Phase 2
This trial looked at bevacizumab (Avastin) and chemotherapy for people with bowel cancer that had spread to their liver, but to nowhere else. This trial was supported by Cancer Research UK.
People with bowel cancer that has spread to the liver (liver secondaries) usually have chemotherapy. Capecitabine and oxaliplatin are two of the common chemotherapy drugs used. These drugs may help to relieve symptoms and to control the growth of cancer.
It is not usually possible to remove liver secondaries with surgery when they are first diagnosed. But in a small number of people, chemotherapy shrinks the cancer enough to make surgery possible. Having surgery to remove the liver secondaries may offer a better chance to control the cancer and for some people may be a cure.
Bevacizumab is a type of biological therapy called a monoclonal antibody.
The aim of this trial was to find out how well adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy would work for people with secondary cancer in the liver.
Summary of results
The trial team found that bevacizumab added to chemotherapy works well for people with bowel cancer that has spread to the liver only.
Of the 46 people recruited to this trial, 45 had bevacizumab with their chemotherapy.
After 12 weeks treatment everyone had a scan to measure their liver secondaries. When the researchers looked at the scans they found the cancer in the liver
- Could not be seen in 4 people
- Had shrunk in 31 people
- Had stayed the same in 7 people
- Had continued to grow in 3 people
Of the 45 people, 18 had surgery to remove their liver secondaries.
The most common side effects reported were
- A drop in blood cells
- Tiredness
- Diarrhoea
- Tingling, numbness or pain in the hands and feet – peripheral neuropathy
The trial team concluded that adding bevacizumab to chemotherapy was a safe treatment that worked well. In addition it could allow more people to have surgery to remove the secondary cancer in the liver.
We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (
) and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.
Chief Investigator
Professor David Cunningham
Supported by
Cancer Research UK
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network (NCRN)
Roche
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Other information
This is Cancer Research UK trial number CRUKE/06/043.
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Last review date
CRUK internal database number:
Oracle 867
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.
Charlie took part in a trial to try new treatments
