Efficacy of bevacizumab and erlotinib combination for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis after failure of erlotinib

Abstract

In patients with non-small-cell lung cancer harboring an epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) active mutation, central nervous system progression after a response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors is frequent. Central nervous system metastasis, especially leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC), is a serious complication and no standard treatment has been established for LMC. Here, we report two cases in which the addition of bevacizumab to erlotinib enhanced the efficacy against LMC; as a result, radiographic abnormalities decreased markedly and symptoms were well controlled. This combination treatment may be useful to treat LMC in patients with EGFR-positive non-small-cell lung cancer.