A Translational Study of Bevacizumab in Participants With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (ASCENT)

An Australian Translational Study to Evaluate the Prognostic Role of Inflammatory Markers in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated With Bevacizumab (Avastin™)

This open-label, prospective, single-arm, multicenter study will evaluate the relationship of the markers of inflammation and progression-free survival (PFS) in participants with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer. The study consists of two phases: Phase A treatment: oral capecitabine plus infusional oxaliplatin (XELOX) plus bevacizumab, or modified infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), leucovorin (LV) and oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) plus bevacizmab administered until first disease progression. Participants will then continue with Phase B treatment: infusional 5-FU, LV and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) plus bevacizumab until second disease progression. The anticipated time on study treatment is 4 years.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Colorectal Neoplasms
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Oxaliplatin; Drug: Capecitabine; Drug: Bevacizumab; Drug: Leucovorin; Drug: 5-Fluouracil; Drug: Irinotecan

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 128
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Australia
  • Australian Capital Territory
    • Garran, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, 2605
      • Canberra Hospital
  • New South Wales
    • Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia, 2560
      • Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centre
    • Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia, 2050
      • Chris O'Brien Lifehouse
    • Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia, 2010
      • St Vincent'S Hospital; Clinical Oncology
    • Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia, 2444
      • Mid North Coast Cancer Institute
    • St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia, 2065
      • Royal North Shore Hospital; Department of Medical Oncology
    • Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2076
      • Sydney Adventist Hospital; Clinical Trial Unit
  • Queensland
    • Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 4029
      • Royal Brisbane Hospital
    • Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 4700
      • Rockhampton Hospital
    • Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 4812
      • The Townsville Hospital; Townsville Cancer Centre
  • South Australia
    • Elizabeth Vale, South Australia, Australia, 5112
      • Lyell McEwin Hospital; Oncology Clinical Trials, Chemotherapy Day Unit
    • North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, 5006
      • Calvary North Adelaide; North Adeliade Oncology Centre
  • Tasmania
    • Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 7250
      • Launceston General Hospital
  • Victoria
    • Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 3084
      • Austin Hospital; Medical Oncology
    • St Albans, Victoria, Australia
      • Sunshine Hospital; Oncology Research
  • Western Australia
    • Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia, 6150
      • St John of God Murdoch Hospital; Oncology West
    • Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia, 6008
      • St John of God Hospital; Bendat Cancer Centre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

For resected primary tumor participants, and participants with primary tumor in situ:

• Previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer and not a candidate for curative resection
• World Health Organization (WHO) performance status of 0-1
• Life expectancy of greater than or equal to (>/=) 3 months
• Eligible for XELOX, mFOLFOX6, FOLFIRI and bevacizumab treatment in accordance with local standards of care and pharmaceutical benefits scheme guidelines

Additional inclusion criteria for participants with primary tumor in situ:

• Intact primary tumor of the colon or the rectum not requiring surgical intervention prior to study start
• Minimal or asymptomatic primary tumor

Exclusion Criteria:

Resected primary tumor participants, and participants with primary tumor in situ:

• Previous chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer
• Previous neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy less than 6 months prior to study start
• Radiotherapy within 28 days prior to enrollment or not recovered from a radiotherapy
• History of non-colorectal cancer (participants are eligible if disease-free for >/=5 years and the risk of recurrence is deemed low)
• Presence of active inflammatory bowel disease
• History of gastrointestinal perforations
• Peritoneal disease
• History of significant bleeding event
• Significant vascular disease
• Peripheral arterial thrombosis or other thrombotic event within 6 months before study start

Additional exclusion criteria for participants with primary tumor in situ:

• Prior endoscopic management of the current tumor
• Acute diverticulitis
• Presence of intra-abdominal abscess
• Active gastroduodenal ulcer

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Bevacizumab: Phase A and Phase B; The trial will consist of 2 phases of treatment. Phase A: Participants will receive bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg intravenous (IV) infusion on Day 1 every 3 weeks in combination with XELOX (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) or bevacizumab 5 mg/kg IV on Day 1 every 2 weeks in combination with mFOLFOX6 (oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and 5-fluouracil) until first disease progression or occurrence of unmanageable toxicity. Phase B: Upon documented first disease progression, participants will continue receiving bevacizumab 5 mg/kg IV on Day 1 every 2 weeks in combination with FOLFIRI (irinotecan, leucovorin, and 5-fluouracil) until second disease progression or occurrence of unmanageable toxicity. Phase B treatment should commence within 4 weeks of the date of documented first disease progression.

Drug: Oxaliplatin; Participants will receive oxaliplatin 85 milligrams per square meter (mg/m^2) IV infusion on Day 1 of every 2 weeks cycle during alternative Phase A treatment or 130 mg/m^2 on Day 1 of every 3 weeks cycle during Phase A treatment.; Drug: Capecitabine; Participants will receive capecitabine 1000 mg/m^2 per oral (PO) twice daily on Days 1-14 of 3 weeks cycle during Phase A treatment.; Drug: Bevacizumab; Participants will receive 7.5 mg/kg IV infusion on Day 1 every 3 weeks (Phase A treatment) or 5 mg/kg IV on Day 1 every 2 weeks (Alternative Phase A treatment and Phase B).; Other Names: Avastin, RO4876646; Drug: Leucovorin; Participants will receive leucovorin 400 mg/m^2 IV on Day 1 every 2 weeks (Alternative Phase A treatment and Phase B). Investigators may elect to chose low dose of leucovorin (either 20 mg/m^2 or 50 mg total dose).; Drug: 5-Fluouracil; Participants will receive 5-fluouracil loading dose of 400 mg/m^2 IV on Day 1 followed by 2400 mg/m^2 continuous IV infusion over 46 hours Day 1 (Alternative Phase A treatment and Phase B).; Drug: Irinotecan; Participants will receive irinotecan 180 mg/m^2 IV on Day 1 every 2 weeks during Phase B treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Association Between Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) [NLR ≤5 Versus NLR >5] and Progression-Free Survival (PFS) as Assessed by Hazard Ratio	NLR was calculated from the laboratory values as the ratio of Neutrophils to Lymphocytes. PFS was defined as the time from the start of initial treatment to documentation of first disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurred first. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA]) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was to be unequivocal and was defined as any of the following: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in the size of known tumors, the appearance of one or more new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration. The association between NLR (NLR less than or equal to [≤] 5 vs greater than [>] 5) and PFS was reported as hazard ratio.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
PFS Until First Disease Progression as Assessed by the Investigator Based on Routine Clinical Practice: Phase A	PFS until first progression was defined as the time from the start of initial treatment to documentation of first disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurred first. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (CEA) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was to be unequivocal and was defined as any of the following: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in the size of known tumors, the appearance of one or more new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate PFS.	Baseline up to first disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
PFS Until Second Disease Progression as Assessed by the Investigator Based on Routine Clinical Practice: Phase B	PFS in Phase B (PFS-B) was defined as the time from the start of Phase B treatment to documentation of second disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurred first. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (CEA) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was to be unequivocal and was defined as any of the following: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in the size of known tumors, the appearance of one or more new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate PFS.	From the start of Phase B treatment to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Time to Failure of Strategy (TFS): Overall	TFS was defined as time from the start of initial treatment to documentation of first disease progression without entering Phase B, or second disease progression having entered Phase B. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (CEA) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was to be unequivocal and was defined as any of the following: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in the size of known tumors, the appearance of one or more new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate TFS.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Duration of Disease Control (DDC) as Assessed by the Investigator Based on Routine Clinical Practice: Overall	DDC was defined as PFS + PFS-B. In cases where a participant did not enter Phase B, then DDC was defined as PFS. PFS was defined as time from start of initial treatment to documentation of first disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurred first. PFS-B was time from start of Phase B treatment to documentation of second disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurred first. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (CEA) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was to be unequivocal and was defined as any of the following: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in the size of known tumors, appearance of one or more new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate DDC.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Overall Survival (OS) From the Start of Treatment to Study Completion: Overall	OS was defined as the time from the start of initial treatment to the date of death, regardless of the cause of death. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate OS.	Baseline until death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Survival Beyond First Disease Progression: Overall	Survival beyond first progression was defined as the time from the date of first disease progression to death due to any cause. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (CEA) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was to be unequivocal and was defined as any of the following: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in the size of known tumors, the appearance of one or more new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate survival beyond first disease progression.	Baseline until death or end of study (up to 4 years)
OS: Phase B	Overall Survival in Phase B was defined as the time from the start of treatment in Phase B to death due to any cause. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate OS.	From the start of Phase B treatment death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Percentage of Participants With Confirmed Complete or Partial Response as Assessed by the Investigator Based on Routine Clinical Practice: Phase A	Percentage of participants with best overall response of confirmed complete response or partial response based on the investigator assessment of the response as per routine clinical practice was reported. The confirmation of response must be no less than 4 weeks after initial assessment.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Percentage of Participants With Confirmed Complete or Partial Response as Assessed by the Investigator Based on Routine Clinical Practice: Phase B	Percentage of participants with best overall response of confirmed complete response or partial response based on the investigator assessment of the response as per routine clinical practice was reported. The confirmation of response must be no less than 4 weeks after initial assessment.	From the start of Phase B treatment to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Percentage of Participants With Confirmed Complete or Partial Response as Assessed by the Investigator Based on Routine Clinical Practice: Overall	Percentage of participants with best overall response of confirmed complete response or partial response based on the investigator assessment of the response as per routine clinical practice was reported. The confirmation of response must be no less than 4 weeks after initial assessment.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Percentage of Participants Who Underwent Liver Resection: Overall	The results include percentage of participants who underwent potentially curative liver resection.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Association Between NLR (NLR ≤5 Versus NLR >5) and OS as Assessed by Hazard Ratio	NLR was calculated from the laboratory values as the ratio of Neutrophils to Lymphocytes. OS was defined as the time from the start of initial treatment to the date of death, regardless of the cause of death. The association between NLR (NLR ≤ 5 vs > 5) and OS was reported as hazard ratio.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Association Between NLR Normalization (First NLR Post-Baseline ≤5 Versus NLR >5) and PFS as Assessed by Hazard Ratio	NLR was calculated from laboratory values as ratio of Neutrophils to Lymphocytes. NLR normalization was assessed by adding first post-baseline measurement of NLR to the primary model. This is equivalent to testing whether first change in NLR is significantly associated with outcome. PFS was defined as time from start of initial treatment to documentation of first disease progression or death from any cause. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (CEA) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was defined as: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in size of known tumors, appearance of ≥1 new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration.The association between NLR normalization (first NLR post-baseline ≤5 vs >5) and PFS was reported as hazard ratio.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Association Between Longitudinal NLR (Longitudinal NLR ≤5 Versus NLR >5) and PFS as Assessed by Hazard Ratio	NLR was calculated from the laboratory values as the ratio of Neutrophils to Lymphocytes. Longitudinal NLR was assessed by treating the NLR measurements taken over the time-course of treatment as a time-dependent covariate. PFS was defined as time from the start of initial treatment to documentation of first disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurred first. Disease progression was determined according to standard practice based on radiological, biochemical (CEA) or clinical factors. Determination of disease progression was to be unequivocal and was defined as: an unequivocal and clinically meaningful increase in size of known tumors, appearance of one or more new lesions, death due to disease without prior objective documentation of progression, elevated CEA accompanied by other radiological or clinical evidence of progression, or symptomatic deterioration. The association between longitudinal NLR (longitudinal NLR ≤5 vs N>5) and PFS was reported as hazard ratio.	Baseline up to disease progression, death or end of study (up to 4 years)
Association Between Longitudinal NLR (Longitudinal NLR ≤5 Versus NLR >5) and OS as Assessed by Hazard Ratio	NLR was calculated from the laboratory values as the ratio of Neutrophils to Lymphocytes. Longitudinal NLR was assessed by treating the NLR measurements taken over the time-course of treatment as a time-dependent covariate. OS was defined as the time from the start of initial treatment to the date of death, regardless of the cause of death. The association between longitudinal NLR (longitudinal NLR ≤5 vs NLR >5) and OS was reported as hazard ratio.	Baseline up to death or end of study (up to 4 years)
European Quality of Life 5-Dimension (EuroQol-5D) Utility Score: Phase A	EQ-5D is a standardized generic preference based health related quality of life instrument. It records how one's health is "today" and consists of a descriptive system. The descriptive system is comprised of 5 dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression. Each dimension on the EQ-5D involves a 3-point response scale which indicates the level of impairment (level 1 = no problem; level 2 = some or moderate problem[s] and level 3 = unable, or extreme problems). Level of problem reported in each EQ-5D dimension determines a unique health state which is converted into a weighted health state index by applying scores from EQ-5D preference weights elicited from general population samples. This generates a unique description of the subjects' health status, which is valued between 0 (representing death) and 1 (representing perfect health). Higher the score, the better the quality of life.	Baseline, every 8-9 weeks thereafter, end of treatment (EOT) (30 days after disease progression [up to 4 years]), survival follow-up 12-weekly visits (up to 4 years) [Detailed time points are presented in the category titles]
EuroQol-5D Utility Score: Phase B	EQ-5D is a standardized generic preference based health related quality of life instrument. It records how one's health is "today" and consists of a descriptive system. The descriptive system is comprised of 5 dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression. Each dimension on the EQ-5D involves a 3-point response scale which indicates the level of impairment (level 1 = no problem; level 2 = some or moderate problem[s] and level 3 = unable, or extreme problems). Level of problem reported in each EQ-5D dimension determines a unique health state which is converted into a weighted health state index by applying scores from EQ-5D preference weights elicited from general population samples. This generates a unique description of the subjects' health status, which is valued between 0 (representing death) and 1 (representing perfect health). Higher the score, the better the quality of life.	Baseline, every 8-9 weeks thereafter, EOT (30 days after disease progression [up to 4 years]), survival follow-up 12-weekly visits (up to 4 years) [Detailed time points are presented in the category titles]
Assessment of Quality of Life - Eight Dimensions (AQoL-8D) Global Utility Score: Phase A	AQoL-8D provides a global utility score and comprised of 35 questions from which 8 dimensions (Independent Living, Life Satisfaction, Mental Health, Coping, Relationships, Self Worth, Pain, and Senses) are derived. Each of the 8 scales is calculated based on the answers to 3 questions. Each question is given an answer dependent utility score (0 [worst] to 1 [best]) and then these scores are combined using a multiplicative model to get the normalized scale score value, each scale ranging between 0.0 (representing death) and 1.0 (representing full health).	Baseline, every 8-9 weeks thereafter, EOT (30 days after disease progression [up to 4 years]), survival follow-up 12-weekly visits (up to 4 years) [Detailed time points are presented in the category titles]
AQoL-8D Global Utility Score: Phase B	AQoL-8D provides a global utility score and consists of 8 separately scored dimensions including Independent Living, Life Satisfaction, Mental Health, Coping, Relationships, Self Worth, Pain, and Senses. Each of the 8 scales is calculated based on the answers to 3 questions. Each question is given an answer dependent utility score (0 [worst] to 1 [best]) and then these scores are combined using a multiplicative model to get the normalized scale score value, each scale ranging between 0.0 (representing death) and 1.0 (representing full health).	Baseline, every 8-9 weeks thereafter, EOT (30 days after disease progression [up to 4 years]), survival follow-up 12-weekly visits (up to 4 years) [Detailed time points are presented in the category titles]
Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (FACT-C) Score: Phase A	FACT-C is one part of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) Measurement System, which comprehensively assesses the health-related QoL of cancer participants and participants with other chronic illnesses. It is composed of 27 items of the general version of the FACT-C as a general core QoL measure and has a disease-specific subscale containing 9 colorectal cancer-specific items. It consists of total 36 items, summarized to 5 subscales: physical well-being (7 items), functional well-being (7 items), social/family well-being (7 items); all 3 subscales range from 0 to 28, emotional well-being (6 items) range from 0 to 24, colorectal cancer subscale (9 items) range from 0 to 36; higher subscale score=better QoL. All single-item measures range from 0='Not at all' to 4='Very much'. Total possible score range: 0 to 144. High scale score represents a better QoL.	Baseline, every 8-9 weeks thereafter, EOT (30 days after disease progression [up to 4 years]), survival follow-up 12-weekly visits (up to 4 years) [Detailed time points are presented in the category titles]
FACT-C Score: Phase B	FACT-C is one part of the FACIT Measurement System, which comprehensively assesses the health-related QoL of cancer participants and participants with other chronic illnesses. It is composed of 27 items of the general version of the FACT-C as a general core QoL measure and has a disease-specific subscale containing 9 colorectal cancer-specific items. It consists of total 36 items, summarized to 5 subscales: physical well-being (7 items), functional well-being (7 items), social/family well-being (7 items); all 3 subscales range from 0 to 28, emotional well-being (6 items) range from 0 to 24, colorectal cancer subscale (9 items) range from 0 to 36; higher subscale score=better QoL. All single-item measures range from 0='Not at all' to 4='Very much'. Total possible score range: 0 to 144. High scale score represents a better QoL.	Baseline, every 8-9 weeks thereafter, EOT (30 days after disease progression [up to 4 years]), survival follow-up 12-weekly visits (up to 4 years) [Detailed time points are presented in the category titles]

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Hoffmann-La Roche

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Clarke SJ, Burge M, Feeney K, Gibbs P, Jones K, Marx G, Molloy MP, Price T, Reece WHH, Segelov E, Tebbutt NC. The prognostic role of inflammatory markers in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with bevacizumab: A translational study [ASCENT]. PLoS One. 2020 Mar 6;15(3):e0229900. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229900. eCollection 2020.
• Clarke S, Burge M, Cordwell C, Gibbs P, Reece W, Tebbutt N. An Australian translational study to evaluate the prognostic role of inflammatory markers in patients with metastatic ColorEctal caNcer Treated with bevacizumab (Avastin) [ASCENT]. BMC Cancer. 2013 Mar 15;13:120. doi: 10.1186/1471-2407-13-120.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 26, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 15, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): September 30, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 27, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 30, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): May 1, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 22, 2019
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 17, 2018
• Last Verified: August 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Digestive System Neoplasms; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Colonic Diseases; Intestinal Diseases; Intestinal Neoplasms; Rectal Diseases; Colorectal Neoplasms; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action; Enzyme Inhibitors; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; Antimetabolites; Antineoplastic Agents; Protective Agents; Topoisomerase Inhibitors; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological; Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Angiogenesis Modulating Agents; Growth Substances; Growth Inhibitors; Micronutrients; Vitamins; Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; Antidotes; Vitamin B Complex; Capecitabine; Oxaliplatin; Bevacizumab; Leucovorin; Irinotecan
• Other Study ID Numbers: ML25753

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No