Gastrointestinal Adverse Events Induced by Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitors

Digestion ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Shunichi Yanai ◽  
Yosuke Toya ◽  
Tamotsu Sugai ◽  
Takayuki Matsumoto

<b><i>Background:</i></b> As immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are becoming standard therapies for malignant tumors, increasing attention has been paid to their associated immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The gastrointestinal tract is the major site of irAEs, and it has recently become evident that the large bowel is the most frequently affected region. The aim of this narrative review was to clarify the endoscopic and histopathologic findings of and treatments for ICI-induced colitis. <b><i>Summary:</i></b> Endoscopic findings of ICI-induced colitis include a reddish, edematous mucosa with increased mucous exudate, loss of normal vascularity, and a granular mucosa with or without mucosal breaks. Histopathologic findings of ICI-induced colitis are expansion of the lamina propria, intraepithelial infiltration of neutrophils, crypt architectural distortion, neutrophilic crypt abscess, and prominent apoptosis. The clinical, endoscopic, and histopathologic severity of ICI-induced colitis is diverse, but colonoscopy together with biopsy is necessary for diagnosis. While a certain proportion of patients with ICI-induced colitis have an intractable clinical course, management guidelines are based on retrospective analyses. Prospective studies are needed to assess the efficacy of various medications, including immunosuppressive regimens. <b><i>Key Messages:</i></b> Colonoscopy with biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of ICI-induced colitis. Endoscopists should be aware of the clinical features and pathophysiology of ICI-induced colitis for prompt diagnosis and treatment planning.

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e14580-e14580
Author(s):  
Iván Romarico Romarico Gonzalez Espinoza ◽  
Neil Cortés Escobar ◽  
Mariana Chiquillo-Domínguez ◽  
Gabriela Juárez Salazar ◽  
Julio Cesar Garibay Diaz ◽  
...  

e14580 Background: The use of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for solid malignancies is rapidly rising, and many new agents and treatment combinations are in development. However, ICIs have a unique side-effect profile of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) compared with chemotherapeutic agents or targeted therapies. The aim of this work was to describe the irAEs in diverse types of malignant tumors using real-world data. Methods: This is a retrospective and descriptive study of patients with diverse types of advanced malignancies treated with immunotherapy at Centro Oncológico Integral of the Hospital Ángeles in Puebla, México; during the period 2016-2020. Data about the primary neoplasm, ICIs, irAEs, organ system affected, grade and treatment was collected. Clinical and laboratory parameters were obtained by reviewing medical records. Results: A total of 117 patients were included, median age of 65 years, of which 63.2% were male and 36.8% were female. The most frequent neoplasms treated with ICIs were: lung (27.4%), kidney (16.2%), melanoma (12.8%), hepatocellular (9.4%), breast (8.5%), non-melanoma skin cancer (6.0%), mesothelioma (4.3%) and other tumors (15.3%). 39.3% of the patients had no metastases, 41.9% had metastases to at least 1 or 2 sites, and 18.8% to 3 or more sites. The types of ICIs were: nivolumab (35.0%), pembrolizumab (28.2%), atezolizumab (23.9%), ipilimumab + nivolumab (12.0%) and durvalumab (0.9%). The most frequent irAEs were: gastrointestinal (61.5%), neurologic (46.2%), pulmonary (38.5%), metabolic (32.5%) and hematologic (29.1%). 39.3% of the irAEs were reported as grade 1, 31.6% as grade 2, 14.5% as grade 3 and 2.6% as grade 4. Conclusions: Our work shows the incidence of irAEs in a poorly studied population and provides new data that complement that reported by other works, however, further prospective studies are necessary.[Table: see text]


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Rajha ◽  
Patrick Chaftari ◽  
Mona Kamal ◽  
Julian Maamari ◽  
Christopher Chaftari ◽  
...  

Abstract Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized cancer therapy and is now the standard treatment for several different types of cancer, supported by favorable outcomes and good tolerance. However, it is linked to multiple immune manifestations, referred to as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). These adverse events frequently affect the skin, colon, endocrine glands, lungs, and liver. The gastrointestinal system is one of the most commonly affected organ systems and is responsible for the most frequent emergency visits resulting from irAEs. However, because immune checkpoint inhibitors are a recent addition to our arsenal of cancer drugs, many health-care providers remain unfamiliar with the management of irAEs. Gastroenterologists involved in the treatment of oncology patients who have received checkpoint inhibitors are currently encountering cases of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and other nonspecific symptoms that may be challenging to manage. This article reviews the gastrointestinal, hepatic, and pancreatic toxicities of checkpoint inhibitors and provides an approach to their diagnosis and recommended workup. It also highlights the management of irAEs according to their toxicity grading and specifically discusses the instances in which corticosteroids should be administered and/or the immune checkpoint inhibitors should be withheld.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. ii105-ii105
Author(s):  
Alexander Hulsbergen ◽  
Asad Lak ◽  
Yu Tung Lo ◽  
Nayan Lamba ◽  
Steven Nagtegaal ◽  
...  

Abstract INTRODUCTION In several cancers treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a remarkable association between the occurrence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and superior oncological outcomes has been reported. This effect has hitherto not been reported in the brain. This study aimed to investigate the relation between irAEs and outcomes in brain metastases (BM) patients treated with both local treatment to the brain (LT; i.e. surgery and/or radiation) and ICIs. METHODS This study is a retrospective cohort analysis of patients treated for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) BMs in a tertiary institution in Boston, MA. Outcomes of interest were overall survival (OS) and intracranial progression-free survival (IC-PFS), measured from the time of LT. Sensitivity analyses were performed to account for immortal time bias (i.e., patients who live longer receive more cycles of ICIs and thus have more opportunity to develop an irAE). RESULTS A total of 184 patients were included; 62 (33.7%) were treated with neurosurgical resection and 122 (66.3%) with upfront brain radiation. irAEs occurred in 62 patients (33.7%). After adjusting for lung-Graded Prognostic Assessment, type of LT, type of ICI, newly diagnosed vs. recurrent BM, BM size and number, targetable mutations, and smoking status, irAEs were strongly associated with better OS (HR 0.33, 95% CI 0.19 – 0.58, p &lt; 0.0001) and IC-PFS (HR 0.41; 95% CI 0.26 – 0.65; p = 0.0001). Landmark analysis including only patients who received more than 3 cycles of ICI (n = 133) demonstrated similar results for OS and IC-PFS, as did sensitivity analysis adjusting for the number of cycles administered (HR range 0.36 – 0.51, all p-values &lt; 0.02). CONCLUSIONS After adjusting for known prognostic factors, irAEs strongly predict superior outcomes after LT in NSCLC BM patients. Sensitivity analysis suggests that this is unlikely due to immortal time bias.


Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 561
Author(s):  
Anca Bobircă ◽  
Florin Bobircă ◽  
Ioan Ancuta ◽  
Alesandra Florescu ◽  
Vlad Pădureanu ◽  
...  

The advent of immunotherapy has changed the management and therapeutic methods for a variety of malignant tumors in the last decade. Unlike traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy, which works by interfering with cancer cell growth via various pathways and stages of the cell cycle, cancer immunotherapy uses the immune system to reduce malignant cells’ ability to escape the immune system and combat cell proliferation. The widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) over the past 10 years has presented valuable information on the profiles of toxic adverse effects. The attenuation of T-lymphocyte inhibitory mechanisms by ICIs results in immune system hyperactivation, which, as expected, is associated with various adverse events defined by inflammation. These adverse events, known as immune-related adverse events (ir-AEs), may affect any type of tissue throughout the human body, which includes the digestive tract, endocrine glands, liver and skin, with reports of cardiovascular, pulmonary and rheumatic ir-AEs as well. The adverse events that arise from ICI therapy are both novel and unique compared to those of the conventional treatment options. Thus, they require a multidisciplinary approach and continuous updates on the diagnostic approach and management.


Author(s):  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Zhujiang Dai ◽  
Cheng Yan ◽  
Wenjie Zhang ◽  
Daorong Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractCancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of many malignant tumors. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can reactivate the anti-tumor activity of immune cells, sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy depends on the complex tumor immune processes. In recent years, numerous researches have demonstrated the role of intestinal microbiota in immunity and metabolism of the tumor microenvironment, as well as the efficacy of immunotherapy. Epidemiological studies have further demonstrated the efficacy of antibiotic therapy on the probability of patients' response to ICIs and predictability of the short-term survival of cancer patients. Disturbance to the intestinal microbiota significantly affects ICIs-mediated immune reconstitution and is considered a possible mechanism underlying the development of adverse effects during antibiotic-based ICIs treatment. Intestinal microbiota, antibiotics, and ICIs have gradually become important considerations for the titer of immunotherapy. In the case of immunotherapy, the rational use of antibiotics and intestinal microbiota is expected to yield a better prognosis for patients with malignant tumors.


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