| Objective
To evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and prognostic impact of anti-angiogenic therapy in patients with advanced desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT).
Methods
This retrospective study included 28 patients with advanced DSRCT treated or followed up at our institution between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2024. Patients were divided into a treatment group (n=16) receiving anti-angiogenic agents and a control group (n=12) without anti-angiogenic therapy. Objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and treatment-related adverse events were analyzed. Survival analyses and prognostic factor assessments were performed.
Results
At the time of analysis, disease progression had occurred in 17 patients. The median PFS for the entire cohort was 12.9 months (95% CI: 5.4–20.3). Patients treated with anti-angiogenic therapy achieved significantly longer PFS than those who did not receive such treatment(18.2months vs. 6.7months,P=0.004). Univariate analysis showed that surgery, metastatic status, and liver metastasis were significantly associated with PFS (P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified treatment pattern as an independent prognostic factor for PFS. The ORR was 62.5% in the treatment group and 50.0% in the control group, with no statistically significant difference, whereas the DCR was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (93.8% vs. 58.3%, P=0.024). Subgroup analyses demonstrated no significant differences in PFS according to the type of anti-angiogenic agent (anlotinib, apatinib, or bevacizumab) or the timing of anti-angiogenic therapy (P>0.05). Safety analysis indicated that treatment-related adverse events were generally manageable; hypertension was more frequent in the treatment group (31.3% vs. 0%,P = 0.033), and no treatment-related deaths were observed.
Conclusion
In this retrospective cohort, anti-angiogenic therapy was associated with prolonged progression-free survival and acceptable safety in patients with advanced DSRCT, suggesting its potential clinical value in this rare and aggressive malignancy. |