New onset diabetes with ketoacidosis following nivolumab immunotherapy: A case report and review of literature

2020 ◽  
pp. 107815522094394
Author(s):  
Lukas Delasos ◽  
Christopher Bazewicz ◽  
Aleksandra Sliwinska ◽  
Nerea Lopetegui Lia ◽  
James Vredenburgh

Introduction Immune-checkpoint inhibitors have become an increasingly popular form of systemic therapy for cancer treatment. Their use has proven to be so effective that certain regimens have gained approval as first-line therapy for various solid tumor types. The most common and well-studied forms of immunotherapy include agents that target cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, programmed death-1, and programmed death ligand-1. These therapies act by blocking signaling between immune cells and cancer cells which subsequently augment T cell-mediated destruction of tumor cells. Case report Here, we report a case of a 77-year-old black male with no history of or risk factors for diabetes mellitus who presented with acute onset of diabetic ketoacidosis after beginning immunotherapy with nivolumab for metastatic high-grade neuroendocrine tumor of the lung. He was admitted and treated for diabetic ketoacidosis but required prolonged use of an insulin infusion with frequent need of intravenous dextrose due to labile blood sugars. The patient was eventually discharged and discontinued further immunotherapy with nivolumab. Discussion Due to the unique mechanisms by which immune-checkpoint inhibitors cause immune-mediated destruction of tumor cells, clinicians may be challenged with their associated autoimmune complications referred to as immune-related adverse events. In particular, the incidence of endocrine dysfunction following immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy is approximately 12%, with the development of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus being a rare complication. Increasing awareness of immune-related adverse events is essential for the early recognition and effective management of patients who present with life-threatening complications related to immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric D Johnson ◽  
Katie Kerrigan ◽  
Katerina Butler ◽  
Shiven B Patel

Purpose Nivolumab is a fully human IgG4 programmed death 1 immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) antibody that has anti-tumor activity by selectively blocking the interaction of the programmed death 1 receptor with its two known programmed death ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2. In doing so, this immune checkpoint inhibitor removes the negative signal stifling T cell activation and proliferation within the tumor microenvironment and demonstrates favorable antitumor activity. Case report We report an interesting case of immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced primary hypothyroidism with associated hypothyroid myopathy in a young patient with surgically resected stage IIIB melanoma receiving adjuvant nivolumab. He presented 12 weeks into therapy with severe myalgias, arthralgias, and intermittent disequilibrium of unclear etiology. Laboratory evaluation demonstrated a significant elevation in thyroid stimulating hormone and creatine kinase with an undetectable free T4 with standard laboratory measurement. With thyroid hormone replacement therapy alone, he had rapid improvement in his musculoskeletal symptoms and laboratory parameters over a three-week period. Discussion This case emphasizes the serious nature of endocrine immune-related adverse events in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, it highlights that unlike most other immune-related adverse events, endocrine immune-related adverse events can generally be managed with adequate hormone replacement alone with swift improvements in symptoms. This allows patients to continue immune checkpoint inhibitors safely without immunosuppression which may dampen the anti-tumor activity of these agents. Conclusion This case highlights the importance of early recognition and the appropriate management of endocrine immune-related adverse events to maximize patient safety and good outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 576-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamzah Abu-Sbeih ◽  
David M. Faleck ◽  
Biagio Ricciuti ◽  
Robin B. Mendelsohn ◽  
Abdul R. Naqash ◽  
...  

PURPOSE The risk of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy–related GI adverse events in patients with cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been well described. We characterized GI adverse events in patients with underlying IBD who received immune checkpoint inhibitors. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed a multicenter, retrospective study of patients with documented IBD who received immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy between January 2010 and February 2019. Backward selection and multivariate logistic regression were conducted to assess risk of GI adverse events. RESULTS Of the 102 included patients, 17 received therapy targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4, and 85 received monotherapy targeting programmed cell death 1 or its ligand. Half of the patients had Crohn’s disease, and half had ulcerative colitis. The median time from last active IBD episode to immunotherapy initiation was 5 years (interquartile range, 3-12 years). Forty-three patients were not receiving treatment of IBD. GI adverse events occurred in 42 patients (41%) after a median of 62 days (interquartile range, 33-123 days), a rate higher than that among similar patients without underlying IBD who were treated at centers participating in the study (11%; P < .001). GI events among patients with IBD included grade 3 or 4 diarrhea in 21 patients (21%). Four patients experienced colonic perforation, 2 of whom required surgery. No GI adverse event–related deaths were recorded. Anti–cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 therapy was associated with increased risk of GI adverse events on univariable but not multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 3.19; 95% CI, 1.8 to 9.48; P = .037; and odds ratio, 4.72; 95% CI, 0.95 to 23.53; P = .058, respectively). CONCLUSION Preexisting IBD increases the risk of severe GI adverse events in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 954-960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine E Renna ◽  
Elizabeth N Dow ◽  
Jason J Bergsbaken ◽  
Ticiana A Leal

Introduction The development of immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized cancer treatment and is now a part of the treatment paradigm for several malignancies. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors are generally well tolerated, treatment is associated with immune-related adverse events, some serious and potentially life threatening. Early identification and prompt appropriate management of immune-related adverse events are crucial to prevent morbidity and mortality. The complexity and severity of immune-related adverse events require interdisciplinary collaboration to optimize care. Patient and caregiver education and continued communication between patients and members of the oncology care team are vital for timely recognition and successful management of immune-related adverse events. The objective of this program is to provide a proof of concept; a pharmacist-led immune checkpoint inhibitor management program will increase early recognition and management of immune-related adverse events through patient and caregiver education and proactively assessing patients for toxicities. Methods At the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, we developed and implemented a pharmacist-driven program, referred to as the immune checkpoint inhibitor program, which aimed to ensure patient and caregiver education and continuous monitoring of immune-related adverse events. This program utilized pharmacist–patient encounters to improve patient and caregiver education and follow-up monitoring. The design and implementation are detailed. Pharmacist interventions and patient outcomes were evaluated. Results At interim analysis, 47 patients were enrolled in the program and pharmacists completed 34 interventions on 26 patients. Pharmacists are well positioned to educate patients and caregivers on immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and provide proactive monitoring to detect immune-related adverse events. We hypothesize that the interventions made by pharmacist may lead to earlier recognition and treatment of immune-related adverse events.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 204589402096096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Glick ◽  
Chase Baxter ◽  
David Lopez ◽  
Kashif Mufti ◽  
Stephen Sawada ◽  
...  

Immune checkpoint inhibitors successfully treat various malignancies by inducing an immune response to tumor cells. However, their use has been associated with a variety of autoimmune disorders, such as diabetes, hepatitis, and pneumonitis. Pulmonary arterial hypertension due to checkpoint inhibitor use has not yet been described. We present a novel case of pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren’s syndrome overlap that was induced by therapy with the checkpoint inhibitor durvalumab.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (8_suppl) ◽  
pp. 131-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Head ◽  
Nicholas Gorden ◽  
Robert Van Gulick ◽  
Carol M. Amato ◽  
Ashley Frazer-Abel ◽  
...  

131 Background: Immune-related adverse events (IRAE) occur commonly with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for the treatment of cancer, although the specific event and severity can vary widely. Little is known regarding factors that may predict which patients will develop an IRAE. The goal of this study is to identify blood biomarkers predictive of IRAE associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Methods: Blood samples collected from patients with melanoma prior to receiving therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors were obtained from the University of Colorado Skin Cancer Biorepository. Testing for a panel of autoantibodies and cytokines (ANA, CCP 3.1, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IP-10, MCP-1, TNF alpha, IFN alpha 2, IFN gamma) in serum samples from patients who had at least one documented IRAE was performed by Exsera BioLabs. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate biomarker levels in relation to type, grade, and number of adverse events. Results: Pre-treatment samples from 45 patients were evaluated. Median age was 55; 26 were male and 19 were female. The most common IRAEs were colitis (n = 22), thyroid dysfunction (n = 21), and dermatitis (n = 20). Most IRAEs were grade 2 in severity, and the majority of patients (n = 36) experienced more than 1 IRAE. TNF alpha was elevated in 60% of patient samples, while IFN alpha 2 was elevated in 44%. Borderline ANA was detected in 27% of samples and ANA was positive in 11%. No samples had elevation of IL-2. Between 9% and 18% of samples had elevation of the other immune markers tested (IFN gamma, IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and CCP 3.1). Elevation of TNF alpha and IFN alpha 2 were associated with higher grades of IRAEs. No associations between immune markers and the number or type of adverse events in an individual patient were noted. Results from 15 patients who did not have a documented IRAE on immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy are currently pending to confirm these findings are unique to patients developing IRAE. Conclusions: This preliminary data suggests that baseline elevations of TNF alpha and IFN alpha 2 may predict development of IRAEs with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Results from samples from patients who did not develop an IRAE on therapy will be reported at the meeting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 2033
Author(s):  
Naoko Okura ◽  
Mai Asano ◽  
Junji Uchino ◽  
Yoshie Morimoto ◽  
Masahiro Iwasaku ◽  
...  

Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors has shown efficacy against a variety of cancer types. The effects of nivolumab and pembrolizumab on lung cancer have been reported, and further therapeutic advances are ongoing. The side effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors are very different from those of conventional cytocidal anticancer drugs and molecular targeted drugs, and they involve various organs such as the digestive and respiratory organs, thyroid and pituitary glands, and skin. The generic term for such adverse events is immune-related adverse events (irAEs). They are relatively infrequent, and, if mild, treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors can be continued with careful control. However, early detection and appropriate treatment are critical, as moderate-to-severe irAEs are associated with markedly reduced organ function and quality of life, with fatal consequences in some cases. Of these, endocrinopathies caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors are sometimes difficult to distinguish from nonspecific symptoms in patients with advanced cancer and may have serious outcomes when the diagnosis is delayed. Therefore, it is necessary to anticipate and appropriately address the onset of endocrinopathies during treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Here, we present a review of endocrine disorders caused by immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A675-A675
Author(s):  
Francois Kaleta ◽  
Heather Brody ◽  
Praveen Namireddy

BackgroundThyroid dysfunction is a well known side effect of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and is one of the most common causes of immune-related adverse events (IRAE). The incidence varies with each individual therapy but generally estimated to be in the range between 6–18% per one study. Hypothyroidism and thyroiditis are the most common manifestations. Initial hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism is another manifestation. Hypothyroidism is more common with an incidence of 10% whereas hyperthyroidism has an incidence of 5%. Less is known about the incidence of worsening thyroid dysfunction in patients with pre-existing thyroid dysfunction treated with ICB.MethodsA retrospective analysis was collected on 370 patients who received immunotherapy from April 2015 to April 2019. Of those, 212 had abnormal thyroid function tests. We analyzed a subgroup of these patients who had baseline thyroid dysfunction for worsening thyroid dysfunction after they were given ICB. Fifty-three patients were included in the analysis and had an abnormal baseline TSH at the start of immunotherapy. Type of immunotherapy, worst TSH, duration between initiation of immunotherapy to worst TSH, treatment type, and grade of abnormality as per Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Related Adverse Events Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (IRAE-CTCAE) were also recorded. Analysis was done for patients to compare likelihood of worsening TSH resulting in change in treatment for thyroid disorder.ResultsOf the identified patients (N=53) with abnormal TSH screening values outside of the institution’s normal reference range 0.35 - 4.95 uIU/ml, 45.7% (N=16) were hypothyroid and 54.3% (N=19) were hyperthyroid at baseline. Of those who were hypothyroid, 50% (N=8) had worsening TSH and 50% (N=8) had unchanged TSH during treatment. Of those who were hyperthyroid, 31.6% (N=6) had unchanged TSH, 52.6% (N=10) had worsened TSH, and 15.8% (N=3) had normalization of TSH compared to baseline. Overall 26.4% had worsening and of those 11.3% required treatment change.ConclusionsThyroid dysfunction is one of the most common IRAE’s associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Little is known about the impact of immunotherapy on patients with existing thyroid dysfunction. Patients who have underlying thyroid dysfunction are at an increased risk for worsening thyroid dysfunction with the use of ICB but though not unduly above the risk general population. Of those with change, only a modest percentage required an alteration of their endocrine therapy. Of interest, our data suggests a potential increased risk in patients with baseline hyperthyroidism compared to hypothyroidism which may be clinically relevant.Ethics ApprovalThe study was approved by ECU Brody School of Medicine Institution’s Ethics Board, approval number 19-000710.ReferencesBarroso-Sousa R, Barry WT, Garrido-Castro AC, et al. Incidence of Endocrine Dysfunction Following the Use of Different Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Regimens: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA oncology. 2018;4:173–182.Fessas P, Possamai LA, Clark J, et al. Immunotoxicity from checkpoint inhibitor therapy: clinical features and underlying mechanisms. Immunology. 2019; 2020;159:167–177.Brody HM, Macherla S, Bulumulle A, Namireddy P, Cherry CR. The real-world incidence of immunotherapy-related thyroid dysfunction: A retrospective analysis of a single center’s experience over five years. Journal of clinical oncology. 2020;38:98–98.Iyer PC, Cabanillas ME, Waguespack SG, et al. Immune-Related Thyroiditis with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Thyroid (New York, N.Y.). 2018;28:1243–1251.Presotto EM, Rastrelli G, Desideri I, et al. Endocrine toxicity in cancer patients treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab: results of a large multicentre study. Journal of endocrinological investigation. 2019; 2020;43:337–345.Chalan P, Di Dalmazi G, Pani F, De Remigis A, Corsello A, Caturegli P. Thyroid dysfunctions secondary to cancer immunotherapy. Journal of endocrinological investigation. 2017; 2018;41:625–638.Mangla A, Paydary K, Yadav U, Liu J, Lad TE. Predictors and outcomes of thyroid dysfunction with immunotherapy: A single institution observational experience. Journal of clinical oncology. 2019;37:e14134-e14134.Basak EA, van der Meer, Jan W M, Hurkmans DP, et al. Overt Thyroid Dysfunction and Anti-Thyroid Antibodies Predict Response to Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy in Cancer Patients. Thyroid (New York, N.Y.). 2020;30:966–973.Kassi E, Angelousi A, Asonitis N, et al. Endocrine-related adverse events associated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors in patients with melanoma. Cancer medicine (Malden, MA). 2019;8:6585–6594.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. e233519
Author(s):  
Kevin B Harris ◽  
Pauline Funchain ◽  
Brian B Baggott

As immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly used, clinicians are more frequently encountering the side effects of these therapies. ICIs have been implicated in numerous adverse effects against healthy tissues. We present a case of a patient who developed treatment refractory checkpoint inhibitor colitis. Following colonoscopy, it was discovered that this patient had cytomegalovirus (CMV) coinfection. This case report highlights the importance of undertaking an appropriate assessment, including endoscopic and histologic investigation, of patients with presumed ICI colitis. Accurately diagnosing a superimposed CMV colitis changes clinical management and can improve patient outcomes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (8) ◽  
pp. 1867-1872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenessa Lee ◽  
Anastasia Graham ◽  
Amy Sion

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are being commonly used as anticancer therapies to treat malignancies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been associated with numerous immune-related adverse events (irAEs). IrAEs are well documented; however, rheumatic irAEs are infrequently reported in published literature. The objective of this single-center retrospective chart review study was to evaluate the incidence of arthralgias with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy as well as the management of these immune-related events. Patients were included if they received one or more doses of nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, ipilimumab, or a combination of agents within the last year. Exclusion criteria included documented history of autoimmune disease, off-label use of immune checkpoint inhibitor, and non-FDA-approved weight-based dosing. This study included 98 patients for review and identified 11 patients that developed arthralgias with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Median time to event was 63 days. Seven patients were treated with corticosteroids. Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy was held in six patients with arthralgias. Inflammatory markers were collected for six patients and elevated in four of these cases. One patient was referred to rheumatology. The three patients who had grading of arthralgias were not managed optimally according to guideline recommendations. These findings show that 11% of patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors had documented arthralgias, consistent with previous reports in the literature. Also, the report shows that management and treatment of these events at our institution was not consistent between providers. Lastly, collaboration with rheumatology may be essential in managing arthralgias and other rheumatologic irAEs.


Blood ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Moik ◽  
Wei-Shin Evelyn Chan ◽  
Sarah Wiedemann ◽  
Christoph Hoeller ◽  
Felix Tuchmann ◽  
...  

The risk of venous and arterial thromboembolism (VTE/ATE) associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors is currently unclear, and clinical trials evaluating these agents in patients with cancer did not provide information. Our aim was to quantify risk of VTE/ATE in a cohort of patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, explore clinical impact, and investigate potential clinical risk factors. Patients treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor at the Medical University of Vienna from 2015-2018 were identified using the in-house pharmacy records (n=672; most frequent entities: 30.4% melanoma, 24.1% non-small-cell lung cancer; 86% stage-IV-disease). A retrospective chart-review was performed to screen for VTE and/or ATE. Cumulative incidences and between-group differences were analysed within a competing-risk framework. Multi-state modelling was applied to study the impact of VTE/ATE on mortality. Over a median follow-up of 8.5 months, 47 VTE and 9 ATE were observed. Cumulative incidences of VTE and ATE were 12.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.2-18.5)] and 1.8% [95%CI: 0.7-3.6]. Occurrence of VTE was associated with increased mortality (transition hazard-ratio (THR): 3.09 [95%CI: 2.07-4.60]. History of VTE predicted VTE occurrence (subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR): 3.69 [2.00-6.81]) and distant metastasis was non-significantly associated with VTE risk (SHR: 1.71 [95%CI: 0.62-4.73]). No association of VTE with ECOG performance-status, Charlson-Comorbidity-Index or the Khorana-score was observed, and rates of VTE were comparable among subgroups of tumour types and checkpoint-inhibitory agents. In conclusion, patients with cancer under immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy are at high risk of thromboembolism, especially VTE. Furthermore, VTE occurrence was associated with increased risk of mortality.


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