To investigate the clinical efficacy and adverse events of Apatinib combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced colon cancer.

A prospective single-arm trial was designed. Thirty cases with locally advanced colon cancer admitted to the 980th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force from January 2019 to December 2020 were selected. The patients received surgery and adjuvant therapy after administration of apatinib in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, while neoadjuvant efficacy, survival, and adverse events after treatment were evaluated.

The incidence of complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 0 (0), 17 (56.7%), 12 (40.0%) and 1 (3.3%), respectively. The objective response rate was 56.7% and the disease control rate was 96.7%. Clinical T-stage, N-stage, and TNM-stage were reduced after treatment compared to the levels before treatment (all P<0.001). Pathological complete remission (pCR) was achieved in 6 (20.0%) patients and R0 resection was achieved in 28 (93.3%) patients. Survival analysis showed the median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 26.3 months and 27.7 months, respectively. During perioperative treatment, most of the observed adverse events were mild (grade 1-2); only a few grade 3 adverse events were observed and no grade 4 adverse events were identified.

Neoadjuvant therapy with Apatinib in combination with chemotherapy has shown good efficacy in locally advanced colon cancer. This regimen has a low rate of serious adverse events and is a therapeutic strategy worthy of further investigation.