# Efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy with or without endostatin for stage IV lung squamous cancer: a retrospective study

## TL;DR

This study found that adding PD-1 inhibitors and endostatin to chemotherapy improves survival in advanced lung squamous cancer patients.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the combined use of PD-1 inhibitors, chemotherapy, and endostatin in stage IV lung squamous cell carcinoma, revealing survival benefits.

## Key findings

- Patients receiving PD-1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy had significantly longer progression-free and overall survival than those receiving chemotherapy alone.
- Adding endostatin to PD-1 inhibitors and chemotherapy further improved survival outcomes in some subgroups.
- No significant increase in adverse events was observed with the addition of PD-1 inhibitors or endostatin.

## Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy with or without endostatin for stage IV lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC).

A total of 219 patients with stage IV LUSC were included. 120 received PD-1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy with or without endostatin (IC ± A), of which 39 received endostatin (IC+A) and 81 did not receive endostatin (IC-A). 99 received chemotherapy with or without endostatin (C ± A). Endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), adverse events (AEs), and immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

The median PFS in the IC ± A group versus the C ± A group was 8 and 4 months (P < 0.001), and the median OS was 17 and 9 months (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in any grade AEs between the IC ± A and C ± A groups (P > 0.05). The median PFS in the IC+A group versus the IC-A group was 11 and 7 months (P = 0.024), and the median OS was 34 and 15 months (P = 0.01). There was no significant difference between the IC+A group and the IC-A group for all grade AEs and irAEs (P > 0.05). The subgroup analysis showed that patients with LIPI = 0 had significant OS and PFS benefits in IC+A group, while for patients with LIPI = 1–2, there was no significant difference in OS and PFS benefits between the IC+A group and IC-A group.

PD-1 inhibitors plus chemotherapy with endostatin might be first-line treatment for patients with stage IV LUSC.