Effect of Bevacizumab on Radiation-induced Brain Necrosis in Patients With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Patients receive bevacizumab 5mg/kg intravenously over 30-90 minutes on day1. Treatment repeats every 2 weeks for up to 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients in the corticosteroid group were treated with intravenous pulsed-steroid therapy: methylprednisolone 500 mg daily intravenously for three consecutive days followed by oral prednisone 60 mg for five days and gradually tapered 15mg every 5 days. When the prednisone dose reached 30mg per day, it was tapered down more slowly (tapered 5mg every week), until a maintenance dose of 10mg per day was reached. The entire intervention lasted two months. At 2 months, prednisone was stopped.