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OBJECTIVE To evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of apatinib alone or combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced squamous cell lung cancer. METHODS Forty patients with advanced squamous cell lung carcinoma were enrolled in this study, who were treated in Xuzhou Central Hospital from 2014 to 2015. All patients underwent first-line or more chemotherapy. Patients were administrated with apatinib 425 mg/day, alone or combined with chemotherapy. The short-term efficacy was evaluated according to the RECIST criteria. The main safety event was evaluated by CTC-AE criteria. RESULTS Among all the 40 patients, partial response in 5 cases, stable disease in 24 cases, progressive disease in 11 cases, overall response rate in 12.5%, disease control rate in 72.5%, the median progression-free survival was 3.7 months. The main adverse events were leukopenia, fatigue, and hypertension. Most of the adverse events were grade I and II level. CONCLUSION The use of apatinib alone or combined with chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic squamous cell lung carcinoma demonstrates a high response rate, favorable tolerability profile.