Dr. Markman Discusses the Phase III AURELIA Trial

Maurie Markman, MD, senior vice president for Clinical Affairs and National Director for Medical Oncology, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Eastern Regional Medical Center, discusses the phase III AURELIA trial that examined the addition of bevacizumab (Avastin) to chemotherapy for women with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer.

In the trial, 361 patients were evenly randomized to receive weekly paclitaxel, pegylated doxorubicin (PLD), or topotecan. Within each of these cohorts, patients were further randomized to receive placebo or bevacizumab. Prior to the study, the three chemotherapy agents were known to have some activity in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, Markman explains.

The trial demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in median progression-free survival (PFS) in favor of those treated with bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. Those receiving weekly paclitaxel showed the most extensive benefits, with a median PFS of 10.4 months compared to 3.9. The PLD cohort demonstrated a median PFS of 5.4 months compared to 3.5 and those receiving topotecan had a PFS of 5.8 months versus 2.1. Markman notes that the toxicity profiles were similar between the three cohorts of the trial.

Markman believes that AURELIA represents a very significant trial for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. He notes that the results make a strong case for but do not obligate the addition of bevacizumab to the treatment paradigm.