Advances in antiangiogenic treatment of small-cell lung cancer

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), a poorly differentiated neuroendocrine malignancy, has a rapid growth rate, strong aggressiveness, early metastases, and poor prognosis. Angiogenesis greatly contributes to the metastatic process of SCLC, which has a higher vascularization compared with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SCLC might constitute an ideal malignancy for assessing new antiangiogenic drugs and therapeutic strategies. Combining bevacizumab with paclitaxel has therapeutic benefits in chemoresistant, relapsed SCLC. The cisplatin–etoposide and bevacizumab combination, as the first-line treatment for extensive-stage SCLC, can improve progression-free survival (PFS), with an acceptable toxicity profile. Ziv-aflibercept combined with topotecan is promising for platinum-refractory SCLC. Chemotherapy combined with thalidomide cannot prolong survival. Maintenance sunitinib of 37.5 mg/day in extensive-stage SCLC patients following induction chemotherapy with platinum/etoposide improves median PFS by 1.6 months. Serum angiopoietin-2 concentrations and vascular endothelial growth factor levels correlate with poor prognosis. Bevacizumab, ziv-aflibercept, and sunitinib are worthy of further evaluation. Thalidomide, sorafenib, pomalidomide, and cediranib may not be suitable for SCLC.