# Sintilimab plus anlotinib in later-line treatment of advanced KRAS-mutant NSCLC: a multicenter, retrospective case series

## TL;DR

A chemotherapy-free treatment combining sintilimab and anlotinib shows promise for advanced lung cancer patients with a specific genetic mutation.

## Contribution

The study provides real-world evidence for a chemo-free treatment in KRAS-mutant NSCLC patients with limited later-line options.

## Key findings

- Median progression-free survival was 7.96 months and median overall survival was 12.4 months.
- Patients without prior anti-angiogenic therapy had significantly better survival outcomes.

## Abstract

Patients with advanced KRAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) face a paucity of effective later-line therapies. While combining PD-1 inhibitors with anti-angiogenic agents is a promising strategy, real-world evidence for chemo-free combinations in this specific population remains scarce.

This multicenter, retrospective case series evaluated 27 patients with advanced KRAS-mutant NSCLC who received sintilimab (200 mg IV, q3w) plus anlotinib (8–12 mg PO, d1–14, q3w) after ≥1 prior line of therapy. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR) and safety.

With a median follow-up of 30.3 months, the median PFS was 7.96 months (95% CI: 5.6–10.3) and median OS was 12.4 months (95% CI: 8.2–16.6). The ORR was 33.3% and the disease control rate was 92.6%. A critical finding was that patients without prior exposure to anti-angiogenic therapy had significantly superior PFS (9.1 vs. 3.0 months, HR = 0.29, p < 0.001) and OS (13.5 vs. 5.7 months, HR = 0.42, p = 0.025). Grade 3–4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 25.9% of patients, primarily hypertension (11.1%) and hand-foot syndrome (7.4%), with no fatal events.

This real-world case series suggests that sintilimab plus anlotinib offers promising efficacy and manageable toxicity as a later-line, chemotherapy-free regimen for advanced KRAS-mutant NSCLC. The absence of prior anti-angiogenic therapy emerged as a strong positive predictor for survival, underscoring the importance of strategic treatment sequencing in clinical practice.