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Lung Cancer Research Studies · Journal article
Frontiers in Oncology · September 9, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This case report describes a 64-year-old woman with multiply relapsed limited-stage small cell lung cancer who achieved 106 months overall survival after sequential anlotinib and short-course sintilimab followed by anlotinib monotherapy maintenance. While the longevity is exceptional, the uncontrolled single-patient design, sequential treatment regimen, and authors' own acknowledgement that the relative contribution of each agent cannot be determined preclude causal inference about the efficacy of either drug or their combination.
Case report. 64-year-old never-smoking female with limited-stage SCLC initially diagnosed September 2017; enrolled in retrospective clinical narrative after exceptional long-term follow-up to July 2026.. Intervention: Sequential anlotinib (initiated August 2019) and sintilimab (added June 2020 for three cycles), followed by anlotinib monotherapy maintenance.. n = 1.
Overall survival of 106 months from initial diagnosis in September 2017 to July 2026 follow-up Partial response achieved after three cycles of combined anlotinib and sintilimab in May–June 2020 Grade 2 immune-related hypothyroidism developed during combination therapy, leading to sintilimab discontinuation
Grade 2 immune-related hypothyroidism developed during combination therapy, leading to sintilimab discontinuation
Clinicians should recognize that exceptional outlier outcomes in multiply relapsed SCLC are possible, but this single case cannot establish the efficacy or optimal sequencing of anlotinib and anti-PD-1 therapy. Prospective controlled trials with biomarker stratification are needed before this sequence can be recommended beyond exceptional circumstances.
A single case report of exceptional long-term survival in multiply relapsed SCLC; while clinically striking, the uncontrolled design, inability to attribute benefit to specific interventions, and lack of comparative data mean this raises hypotheses rather than establishing efficacy.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians should recognize that exceptional outlier outcomes in multiply relapsed SCLC are possible, but this single case cannot establish the efficacy or optimal sequencing of anlotinib and anti-PD-1 therapy. Prospective controlled trials with biomarker stratification are needed before this sequence can be recommended beyond exceptional circumstances.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is highly aggressive, and durable disease control after multiple treatment lines is uncommon. Anti-angiogenic therapy combined with PD-1 blockade may provide complementary antitumor effects through vascular and immune microenvironment remodeling. Case presentation We report a 64-year-old never-smoking woman diagnosed with limited-stage SCLC in September 2017. She achieved a partial response after concurrent chemoradiotherapy but developed recurrence in November 2018 and subsequently progressed after irinotecan-based and pemetrexed-based chemotherapy. Anlotinib was initiated in August 2019 and achieved radiologic tumor regression. In May 2020, biopsy of a right submandibular lymph node confirmed extrathoracic metastatic SCLC. Sintilimab was added to ongoing anlotinib in June 2020, and a partial response was achieved after three cycles. Grade 2 immune-related hypothyroidism developed during combination therapy, and sintilimab was discontinued. Anlotinib monotherapy was subsequently continued as maintenance treatment. At the latest follow-up in July 2026, the patient remained alive with stable disease, with an overall survival of 106 months from initial diagnosis. Conclusions This case highlights exceptionally durable disease control in multiply relapsed SCLC following sequential anlotinib and short-course sintilimab. The sustained activity of anlotinib, reactivation of antitumor immunity by PD-1 blockade, and potential vascular–immune interaction may have jointly contributed to the prolonged outcome. However, because anlotinib had demonstrated activity before immunotherapy and was continued after sintilimab discontinuation, the relative contribution of each treatment cannot be determined. Further prospective studies with biomarker analyses are warranted.
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