Use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients with pre-existing sarcoidosis

Immunotherapy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang T Kim ◽  
Xerxes Pundole ◽  
Ramona Dadu ◽  
Olivier Lambotte ◽  
Manuel Ramos-Casals ◽  
...  

Aim: To evaluate adverse events in cancer patients with pre-existing sarcoidosis receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Patients & methods: We retrospectively reviewed cancer patients with sarcoidosis who underwent treatment with ICI to determine frequency of sarcoidosis flares. Results: 32 patients with sarcoidosis received ICIs The median time to ICI initiation was 7 years (range: 1 month to 51 years). One patient (3%) with a 20-year remote history of sarcoidosis developed a clinically symptomatic exacerbation after three doses of atezolizumab, with hilar lymphadenopathy, subcutaneous nodules, arthritis and uveitis. Atezolizumab was discontinued and prednisone initiated. She had a fluctuating course with two additional flares. Conclusion: Frequency of flares in patients with a remote history of sarcoidosis who receive ICIs is low.

BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Maria Griewing ◽  
Claudia Schweizer ◽  
Philipp Schubert ◽  
Sandra Rutzner ◽  
Markus Eckstein ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have become standard treatment in different tumor entities. However, safe treatment with ICI targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis requires early detection of immune-related adverse events (irAE). There exist different questionnaires of drug manufacturers for the detection of irAE that have not been validated so far. Methods The prospective non-interventional ST-ICI trial studied treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 ICI alone or combined with radiotherapy. In the current analysis, the detection rate of self-reported irAE with a patient questionnaire containing 41 different questions was compared to clinician-reported irAE. Results Between April 2017 and August 2019, a total of 104 patients were prospectively enrolled. NSCLC (44%) and HNSCC (42%) were the most frequent tumor entities. A total of 784 questionnaires were collected. A total of 29 irAE were reported by clinicians. The most frequent irAE was hypothyroidism (9%), followed by skin reactions (5%), hepatitis (4%), diarrhea (3%), and pneumonitis (3%). Questions that became significantly more often positive at time points of clinician-reported irAE were “weight change”, “difficulty to grip things”, “bloody or mucous stool” and “insomnia”. Self-reported organ-specific questions detected at least 50% of clinician-reported irAE of gastrointestinal, lung, endocrine, and skin irAE. It was not possible to detect hepatic irAE with the questionnaire. Conclusion Questionnaires can help to detect gastrointestinal, lung, endocrine, or skin irAE, but not hepatic irAE. Questions on “weight change” and “insomnia” may help to increase the detection rate of irAE, besides organ-specific questions. These results are a valuable contribution to the future development of a specific and practicable questionnaire for early self-reported detection of irAE during ICI therapy in cancer patients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03453892. Registered on 05 March 2018.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e000144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Abou Alaiwi ◽  
Wanling Xie ◽  
Amin H Nassar ◽  
Shaan Dudani ◽  
Dylan Martini ◽  
...  

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) induce a range of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) with various degrees of severity. While clinical experience with ICI retreatment following clinically significant irAEs is growing, the safety and efficacy are not yet well characterized.MethodsThis multicenter retrospective study identified patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with ICI who had >1 week therapy interruption for irAEs. Patients were classified into retreatment and discontinuation cohorts based on whether or not they resumed an ICI. Toxicity and clinical outcomes were assessed descriptively.ResultsOf 499 patients treated with ICIs, 80 developed irAEs warranting treatment interruption; 36 (45%) of whom were restarted on an ICI and 44 (55%) who permanently discontinued. Median time to initial irAE was similar between the retreatment and discontinuation cohorts (2.8 vs 2.7 months, p=0.59). The type and grade of irAEs were balanced across the cohorts; however, fewer retreatment patients required corticosteroids (55.6% vs 84.1%, p=0.007) and hospitalizations (33.3% vs 65.9%, p=0.007) for irAE management compared with discontinuation patients. Median treatment holiday before reinitiation was 0.9 months (0.2–31.6). After retreatment, 50% (n=18/36) experienced subsequent irAEs (12 new, 6 recurrent) with 7 (19%) grade 3 events and 13 drug interruptions. Median time to irAE recurrence after retreatment was 2.8 months (range: 0.3–13.8). Retreatment resulted in 6 (23.1%) additional responses in 26 patients whose disease had not previously responded. From first ICI initiation, median time to next therapy was 14.2 months (95% CI 8.2 to 18.9) and 9.0 months (5.3 to 25.8), and 2-year overall survival was 76% (95%CI 55% to 88%) and 66% (48% to 79%) in the retreatment and discontinuation groups, respectively.ConclusionsDespite a considerable rate of irAE recurrence with retreatment after a prior clinically significant irAE, most irAEs were low grade and controllable. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm that retreatment enhances survival outcomes that justify the safety risks.


2020 ◽  
pp. 107815522097026
Author(s):  
Jeff Kamta ◽  
Bren Magruder ◽  
Lisa Hymel

Introduction Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are novel oncolytic therapies associated with various immune related adverse events (irAEs) affecting multiple organ systems, which may have a delayed presentation. Identification of irAEs and prompt initiation of appropriate treatment represents a challenge to clinicians. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacy consult service in identification and management of irAEs. Methodology: This was a single center, retrospective study. Patients included were: ≥18 years old, admitted as inpatients, and reported a history of cancer treatment within the last year. A pharmacy consult was developed and implemented for patients who reported a history of ICI therapy within the last year. Education regarding the consult service was provided to select physicians, nurses, and all pharmacists. Primary outcome: percent of admitted patients reporting ICI therapy within the last year, who required pharmacist intervention for an irAE. Secondary outcomes: types of interventions performed, percentage of recommendation acceptance, pharmacist time spent. Results Fifty-one patients received a pharmacy immunotherapy consult. Seventeen patients (33%) met the primary outcome. Thirty-three separate recommendations were made by pharmacists for these 17 patients. The secondary outcomes of interventions made and percentage accepted (n; % accepted): Initiation/adjustment of steroid therapy (20; 40%), placement of a consult for oncology or other specialist (10; 70%), other therapeutic interventions (3; 67%). Average time spent by pharmacist on initial consultations (SD): 29 minutes (15). Conclusion A pharmacy consult service may help to increase identification of patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors and initiate timely interventions.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 6109
Author(s):  
Dongyu Zhang ◽  
Neil J. Shah ◽  
Michael Cook ◽  
Matthew Blackburn ◽  
Michael T. Serzan ◽  
...  

Evidence regarding the association between body mass index (BMI) and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) among cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is limited. Here, we use cross-sectional hospital-based data to explore their relationship. Pre-treatment BMI was treated as an ordinal variable (<25, 25 to ≤30, ≥30 kg/m2). The outcome of interest was irAEs after ICI initiation. A multivariable logistic regression model estimated the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of BMI. A total of 684 patients with stage III or IV cancer were included in the study (lung: 269, melanoma: 204, other: 211). The mean age at the first dose of ICI was 64.1 years (SD = 13.5), 394 patients (57.6%) were male, and over one-third (N = 260, 38.0%) were non-White. Overall, 52.9% of patients had BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (25 to ≤30: 217, ≥30: 145) and 288 (42.1%) had irAEs after ICI treatment. Patients with higher BMI tended to have a higher rate of irAEs (<25: 35.7%, 25 to ≤30: 47.0%, ≥30: 49.0%). The multivariable logistic regression yielded consistent results (BMI ≥ 30 vs. BMI < 25: aOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 0.96–2.23; 25 ≤ BMI < 30 vs. BMI < 25: aOR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.02–2.11, p-trend = 0.04). In conclusion, among patients with advanced cancer receiving ICIs, the rate of irAEs appears to be higher among those with higher BMI.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Despina Michailidou ◽  
Ali Khaki ◽  
Maria Morelli ◽  
Leonidas Diamantopoulos ◽  
Namrata Singh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) develop immune related adverse events (irAEs), however biomarkers are lacking. We hypothesized that clinicopathologic and laboratory factors would be associated with irAE risk and overall survival (OS) in this population.Methods: In a retrospective study of patients treated with ICIs we collected clinicopathologic, laboratory, irAEs and outcomes data. The association between baseline blood biomarkers, clinicopathologic features and irAEs was assessed by logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, smoking, cancer type, performance status, concomitant other systemic therapy, history of autoimmune disease (AD) and chronic infection. Optimal cutoff values of biomarkers were identified by recursive partitioning analysis.Results: 470 patients were identified; 156 (33%) developed irAEs, which were associated with baseline absolute lymphocyte count >2.6k/ul (adjusted [a]OR:4.12), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≤5.3 (aOR:2.08) and monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR)≤0.73 (aOR:3.11). Patients with pre-existing AD (aOR:2.81), family history of AD (aOR:5.86), and ICI combination (aOR:2.26) had higher odds of irAEs. Baseline NLR≤5.3 (aHR:0.68) and MLR≤0.73 (aHR:0.43) were associated with longer OS.Conclusion: irAE were associated with autoimmune history, ICI combination and baseline laboratory measurements. Lower NLR and MLR may have favorable prognostic value. Our hypothesis-generating findings require validation in larger prospective studies.


Author(s):  
Adrian Tsui, PharmD ◽  
Linday Edmondson, PharmD, BCOP ◽  
Justin Julius, PharmD

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have gained prominence for the treatment of a variety of malignancies. However, they are associated with the development of immune-mediated adverse events (IMAEs). Appropriate management of IMAEs and subsequent rechallenging of patients with ICI therapy remains an important area of research. The primary endpoint of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of current prescribing practices and adherence to guideline recommendations for IMAE management. The incidence of symptom resolution, number of patients reinitiated with ICI therapy, and IMAE recurrence upon ICI therapy reinitiation were explored as secondary endpoints. A retrospective chart review within the Allegheny Health Network was conducted in cancer patients treated with ICI therapy who developed a documented ICI-associated IMAE and subsequently received corticosteroid therapy. IRB approval was obtained for this study. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze both primary and secondary endpoints. The study sample was made up of 81 patients. Overall, 50 out of 81 patient cases (62%) were found to be discordant with guideline recommendations; the primary factors identified were inappropriate starting corticosteroid dosing (64%), initiation of a corticosteroid taper prior to IMAE resolution to at least grade 1 severity, and condensed corticosteroid taper (74%). The main IMAEs identified were colitis (28%), pneumonitis (27%), and skin-related inflammation (12%). 76 out of the 81 patients (94%) achieved IMAE resolution; 41 patients (54%) were rechallenged with ICI therapy, of which 14 patients (34%) developed IMAE recurrence. Future studies may focus on evaluating different immunosuppression strategies to optimize IMAE management.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong Fan ◽  
Wenhui Xie ◽  
Hong Huang ◽  
Yunxia Wang ◽  
Guangtao Li ◽  
...  

ObjectivesImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have brought impressive benefits to cancer patients, however often accompanied with immune-related adverse events (irAEs). We aimed to investigate the association of irAEs with efficacy and overall survival in cancer patients treated by ICIs, and further quantify the association by stratifying subgroups.MethodsPubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane library from database inception to 29 August 2019 were systematically searched. Articles reporting association of objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) with irAEs in cancer patients treated with approved ICIs were included. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidential intervals (CIs) were calculated for ORR, and hazard ratios (HR) were used for PFS and OS.ResultsA total of 52 articles comprising 9,156 patients were included. Pooled data demonstrated a statistically significant greater probability of achieving objective tumor response for patients with irAEs compared to those without (OR 3.91, 95% CI 3.05–5.02). In overall meta-analysis, patients who developed irAEs presented a prolonged PFS (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.46–0.62) and OS (HR 0.51; 95% CI 0.41–0.59). More specifically, irAEs in certain cancer types (NSCLC and melanoma) and organs (skin and endocrine) were robustly associated with better clinical outcomes, while this association needs further verification regarding other tumors. High grade toxicities (G3–5) were not associated with a significantly favorable PFS or OS. Additionally, the association between irAEs and clinical benefit seemed to be more definite in patients receiving PD-(L)1 blockade than CTLA-4 blockade. Pooled data from landmark analyses displayed consistent results.ConclusionsThe occurrence of irAEs predicted improved tumor response and better survival in overall cancer patients treated with ICIs. Notably, the association stayed robust in certain cancer types (NSCLC and melanoma) and organ-specific irAEs (skin and endocrine).


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