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

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.