Toripalimab and Anlotinib as a Maintenance Treatment for Extensive-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Case Report

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterized by rapid proliferation, high growth fraction and early locoregional and distant metastases. SCLC has been found to be significantly sensitive to platinum-etoposide chemotherapy, but most patients relapse within 6 months of completing initial treatment and median overall survival is about 10 months. Despite the current immunotherapy-treatment approach, median survival time and progression-free survival remain short. This case shows the potential efficacy of maintenance therapy with toripalimab and anlotinib after first-line platinum-etoposide chemotherapy in a patient with extensive-stage SCLC. The combination treatment prolonged the progression-free survival to approximately 13 months and overall survival to 25 months; this is well above the existing standard, and this patient did not experience any major adverse effects during the course of therapy.