AIM:TO evaluate the combination of bevacizumab with infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU),leucovorin (LV) and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) pretreated with combination regimens including irinotecan and oxaliplatin. METHODS:Fourteen patients (median age 56 years) with advanced CRC,all having progressed after oxaliplatin-and irinotecan-based combination chemotherapy,were enrolled in this study.Patients were treated with 2 h infusion of irinotecan 150 mg/m~2 on d 1,plus bevacizumab 5 mg/kg iv infusion for 90 min on d 2,and iv injection of LV 20 mg/m~2 followed by a bolus of 5-FU 400 mg/m~2 and then 22 h continuous infusion of 600 mg/m~2 given on two consecutive days every 14 d. RESULTS:The median number of cycles of chemotherapy was six (range 3-12).The response rate was 28.5%,one patient had a complete response,and three patients had a partial response.Eight patients had stable disease.The median time to progression was 3.9 mo (95% CI 2.0-8.7), and the median overall survival was 10.9 mo (95% CI 9.6-12.1).Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in five patients,and two of these developed neutropenic fever. Grade 3 hematuria and hematochezia occurred in one. Grade 2 proteinuria occurred in two patients.However, hypertension,bowel perforation or thromboembolic events did not occur in a total of 90 cycles. CONCLUSION:Bevacizumab with FOLFIRI is well tolerated and a feasible treatment in patients with heavily treated advanced CRC. AIM: TO evaluate the combination of bevacizumab with infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), leucovorin (LV) and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) pretreated with combination regimens including irinotecan and oxaliplatin. METHODS: Fourteen patients (median age 56 years) with advanced CRC, all having progressed after oxaliplatin-and irinotecan-based combination chemotherapy, were enrolled in this study. Patients were treated with 2 h infusion of irinotecan 150 mg / m ~ 2 on d 1, plus bevacizumab 5 mg / kg iv infusion for 90 min on d 2, and iv injection of LV 20 mg / m ~ 2 followed by bolus of 5-FU 400 mg / m 2 and then 22 h continuous infusion of 600 mg / m ~ 2 given on two consecutive days every 14 d. RESULTS: The median number of cycles of chemotherapy was six (range 3-12). The response rate was 28.5%, one patient had a complete response, and three patients had a partial response. Eight patients had stable disease. The median time to progression was 3.9 mo (95% CI 2.0-8.7), and the median overall survival was 10.9 mo (95% CI 9.6-12.1). Grade 3 3/4 neutropenia occurred in five patients, and two of these developed neutropenic fever. Grade 3 hematuria and hematochezia occurred in one. Grade 2 proteinuria occurred in two patients. However, hypertension, bowel perforation or thromboembolic events did not occur in a total of 90 cycles. CONCLUSION: Bevacizumab with FOLFIRI is well tolerated and a feasible treatment in patients with heavily treated advanced CRC.