Phase II study of preoperative bevacizumab, capecitabine, and radiotherapy for resectable locally advanced rectal cancer.

Abstract

Background: To evaluate whether the addition of bevacizumab (BVZ) to capecitabine-based chemoradiotherapy in the preoperative treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) improves efficacy measured by the pathological complete response (pCR) rate.

Use of neostigmine in capecitabine-induced paralytic ileus

“…One published report described this phenomenon in 2 women treated for metastatic breast cancer and emphasised the importance of recognising this clinically to avoid unnecessary surgery 3 . A phase II study reported that 2 of 43 patients undergoing preoperative combination bevacizumab, capecitabine and radiotherapy in rectal cancer developed paralytic ileus 4 . A phase III study reported that paralytic ileus was the cause of death in a patient with metastatic breast cancer treated with combination capecitabine and docetaxel 5 .…”