Combination therapy using low‐dose anlotinib and immune checkpoint inhibitors for extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer

Abstract

Abstract Background This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of low‐dose anlotinib combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors as second‐line or later treatment for extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer (ES‐SCLC). Methods The study included 42 patients with ES‐SCLC who were treated with low‐dose anlotinib combined with programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death‐ligand 1 inhibitors at Henan Cancer Hospital between March 2019 and August 2022. We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety data for these patients. Indicators assessed included progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), the overall response rate (ORR), the disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs). Prognostic factors were identified in univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Median PFS was 11.0 months (95% CI: 7.868–14.132) and median OS was 17.3 months (95% CI: 11.517–23.083). The ORR was 28.5% and the DCR was 95.2%. Treatment‐related AEs were noted in 27 patients (64.3%), the most common of which was thyroid dysfunction (26.2%). Grade 3/4 treatment‐related AEs were observed in two patients (4.8%). Conclusions A combination of low‐dose anlotinib and immune checkpoint inhibitors as second‐line or later treatment for ES‐SCLC may achieve longer PFS and OS and have manageable AEs.

Keywords

• combination immunotherapy
• extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer
• immune checkpoint inhibitors
• low‐dose antiangiogenic drugs