Apatinib as a third- or further- line treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC harboring wild-type EGFR

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of apatinib in advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR wild-type who have failed more than second-line chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with EGFR wild-type advanced NSCLC who were treated with apatinib from January 2014 to August 2016. Objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse events (AEs) were reveiwed and evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the prognostic factors. RESULTS: 36 patients were evaluable for safety and efficacy. 6 patients obtained partial response, and 21 showed stable disease. The ORR and DCR were 16.7% and 75%, respectively. The median PFS and OS were 4.5 months and 8.2 months, respectively. Prognostic variable for a longer OS was good performance status (p = 0.015). Most adverse reactions were mild or moderate. CONCLUSIONS: Apatinib should be recommended as a third- or further- line therapy in advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR wild-type due to its better efficacy and tolerable toxicity.