Evaluating the effectiveness and safety of anlotinib as a third-line treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC.

This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of anlotinib (AL3818) as a third-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The data showed that anlotinib as a third-line treatment was effective with manageable side effects in these patients.

NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer. NSCLC is responsible for around 85% of all lung cancer diagnoses. Standard treatment for advanced NSCLC involves surgical removal of tumors, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Anlotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). TKIs block enzymes that are responsible for many cellular functions in the body. Anlotinib works by stopping tumors from forming new blood vessels and spreading. Anlotinib has been shown to improve survival outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC. However, there are few studies evaluating the effectiveness and safety of anlotinib as a third-line treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC.

This study analyzed 18 studies and involved 1658 patients with advanced NSCLC. The patients were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 included 913 patients who were treated with anlotinib. Group 2 included 745 patients who were treated with a placebo or other drugs excluding anlotinib. 

Patients in group 1 were 67% more likely to survive without cancer worsening than patients in group 2. Patients in group 1 were 30% more likely to have a better survival than patients in group 2.

Patients in group 1 were 1.75 times more likely to better respond to treatment (complete or partial disappearance of cancer cells) compared to patients in group 2. Also, patients in group 1 were 1.51 times more likely to have disease control (the tumor does not grow or spread).

Side effects like high blood pressure and coughing up blood from the lungs were more common in group 1 than in group 2.

This study concluded that anlotinib as a third-line treatment was effective with manageable side effects in patients with advanced NSCLC.

The studies analyzed had different methodologies. All studies were done in China. Anlotinib is only approved in China for the treatment of advanced NSCLC.