Serum Nitric Oxide as a Predictive Biomarker for Bevacizumab in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIM: Reportedly, hypertension tends to be associated with response to bevacizumab therapy, because bevacizumab suppresses vascular nitric oxide production. In this study we examined the predictive value of nitric oxide in bevacizumab-treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with advanced or recurrent NSCLC treated with bevacizumab-based regimens were evaluated retrospectively. Serum NOx (NO2-/NO3-) was assayed by the Griess method. RESULTS: Serum nitric oxide levels were decreased after two courses of bevacizumab treatment in our responder group (p=0.02). According to the change in nitric oxide levels after the second course of treatment, median progression-free survival was 11.0 months in the group with decreased serum nitric oxide and 7.6 months in the group with increased serum nitric oxide (p=0.08). CONCLUSION: Serum nitric oxide levels could be a predictive biomarker for response to bevacizumab in NSCLC patients.