Bevacizumab-based therapies in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Since its approval for the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), bevacizumab has become a standard treatment option in combination with chemotherapy for patients with mCRC. Bevacizumab has demonstrated efficacy in combination with a number of different backbone chemotherapy regimens, and its widespread use has introduced several important questions regarding the selection and optimization of bevacizumab-based treatment regimens, its use in various patient populations, and the identification of associated adverse events. This review discusses the results of several phase II and phase III clinical trials, as well as large observational studies, to address the use of bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with mCRC in the first-line setting.