Pneumonitis in Patients Treated With Anti-Programmed Death-1/Programmed Death Ligand 1 Therapy

Thoracic Complications of Precision Cancer Therapies: A Practical Guide for Radiologists in the New Era of Cancer Care

Recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer have opened a new era of precision medicine for cancer treatment. Precision cancer therapies target specific molecules that are responsible for cancer development and progression, and they achieve marked treatment benefits in specific cohorts of patients. However, these therapies are also associated with a variety of complications that are often unique to specific groups of anticancer agents. The rapidly increasing use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of various advanced malignancies has brought new challenges in diagnosing and monitoring a unique set of toxic effects termed immune-related adverse events. Familiarity with cutting-edge cancer treatment approaches and awareness of the emerging complications from novel therapies are essential for radiologists, who play a key role in the care of patients with cancer. This article provides a comprehensive review of the thoracic complications of precision cancer therapies, describes their imaging features and clinical characteristics, and discusses the role of radiologists in the diagnosis and monitoring of these entities. The authors also address the molecular mechanisms of anticancer agents that relate to thoracic complications and emphasize emerging challenges in novel cancer therapies. This article is designed to serve as a practical reference guide for day-to-day practice for radiologists in the era of precision cancer medicine. ^©RSNA, 2017.

Tocilizumab for the management of immune mediated adverse events secondary to PD-1 blockade

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are poised to revolutionize the management of a growing number of malignancies. Unfortunately, the management of steroid-refractory immune mediated adverse events is based on a paucity of randomized data and limited to single center experiences. Our initial experience with the IL-6 receptor antagonist tocilizumab showed clinical improvement in a wide variety of irAEs. As a result, we adopted the use of tocilizumab for the management of steroid refractory irAEs.

METHODS

The character and clinical course of irAEs were abstracted from the medical record and analyzed. The dose of tocilizumab was 4 mg/kg given IV over one hour. C-reactive protein was drawn at first nivolumab infusion and at q two weeks (and with irAEs) thereafter. Clinical improvement was defined as either: documentation of resolution of symptoms or hospital discharge within seven days.

RESULTS

Of the initial 87 patients that were treated with nivolumab, 34 required tocilizumab (39.1%). All patients were on corticosteroids. The majority (88.2%) were lung cancer patients. The index grade 3/4 irAE was pneumonitis in 35.3%, serum sickness/SIRS in 35.3%, cerebritis in 14.7% and one case each of hypophysitis, colitis, pancreatitis, hepatitis and immune mediated coagulopathy. Median time between first nivolumab and initiation of tocilizumab was 76 days (range 1-429). There was a statistically significant increase in C-reactive protein from a median of 23 mg/L (range 0.1-238.5) at baseline to 109.3 mg/L (21.5-350.4) at the time of index irAE, followed by a decrease to 19.2 mg/L (0.25-149) after tocilizumab ( p < 0.00001). Clinical improvement was noted in 27/34 patients (79.4%). Some patients (52.9%) required a single dose, while 38.2% required two, 8.8% required three and 1 patient required four doses. Twenty-seven doses were given in the inpatient setting (49.1%). Median time to discharge was four days (range 1-27). Seventy-four percent of patients were discharged home. For the 53 doses of tocilizumab that were delivered when infliximab was an option, there was a cost savings of $141,048.72 (WAC) during the 18 month study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Tocilizumab may be a therapeutic option for the management of steroid refractory irAEs secondary to immune checkpoint blockade. However, randomized trials are needed to better elucidate the relative efficacy and safety of these agents.

Case report on the role of radiofrequency-assisted spleen-preserving surgery for splenic metastasis in the era of check-point inhibitors

RATIONALE

An isolated splenic metastasis is a rare phenomenon noted in advanced stage melanoma. We report the role of radiofrequency (RF) -based splenic-preserving splenectomy in a patient with a solitary splenic metastasis from advanced stage melanoma that was managed with checkpoint inhibitors.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We report a case of a 60-year-old man who presented with multiple lung metastases and a solitary splenic metastasis with advanced stage melanoma following excision of primary from his trunk 2.3 years back.

DIAGNOSIS

Considering the diagnosis of advanced stage melanoma with multiple lung metastases and a solitary splenic metastasis, and its ongoing progressive nature. This case was discussed in the tumour board meeting.

INTERVENTIONS

A decision was made to commence treatment with immunotherapy in the form of PD-1 inhibitor (programmed cell death 1 receptor) pembrolizumab. Follow-up restaging computer tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen and chest showed a significant reduction in the lung and chest wall lesions, but the splenic lesion remained unchanged. Given the lack of response to treatment in the splenic metastasis and the significant decrease in lung metastases, the multidisciplinary team decided that a partial splenectomy combined with continued immunotherapy treatment would be appropriate as the success of immunotherapy was imminent within the splenic preservation.

OUTCOMES

The postoperative recovery was smooth and the patient was discharged from hospital on the sixth postoperative day with normal platelets and white blood cells. The histopathological analysis of the resected specimen showed a metastatic melanoma with negative margins.At 10-month follow-up after the splenic resection the patient had not experienced further tumour recurrences.

LESSONS

Spleen-preserving resection for an isolated, solitary splenic metastasis of melanoma is a feasible approach as it not only preserves the ongoing efficacy of checkpoint inhibitors by preserving the physiological T cell milieu, but the immunomodulation properties of RF can produce potentially additional therapeutic benefit.

Evaluation of rare but severe immune related adverse effects in PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis

Background

Programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) inhibitor therapy is showing marked efficacy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Meanwhile, it is concomitant with distinctive immune-related adverse effects. We aim to describe the incidence of pneumonitis and other rare but severe immune-related adverse effects (IRAEs), as well as treatment related deaths. In addition, we analyze the differences in incidence of pneumonitis between PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors and standard-of-care chemotherapy.

Methods

PubMed was searched up to 24 March 2017 for clinical trials of PD-1 inhibitors (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) and PD-L1 inhibitors (atezolizumab, avelumab and durvalumab) in treatment of NSCLC. Besides, references of relevant articles were screened.

Results

Finally, 22 trials were included in our study, 14 with data of pneumonitis, 19 with other severe IRAEs or treatment related deaths and 5 with control groups. Incidence of all-grade pneumonitis was 2.9% (95% CI, 2.0-4.8%) and grade 3 or higher pneumonitis 2.0% (95% CI, 1.0-2.0%). Incidence of all-grade pneumonitis in PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitor therapy (n=1,313) was significantly higher than that in chemotherapy (n=918) (OR=2.35, 95% CI, 1.32-4.20, P=0.004), but had no significance in grade 3-5 pneumonitis. Incidence of cardiorespiratory arrest (n=537) was 1.0% (95% CI, 0-2.0%), cardiac failure (n=214) 2.0% (95% CI, 1.0-5.7%), myocardial infarction (n=402) 1.0% (95% CI, 0-3.8%), stroke (n=135) 2.0% (95% CI, 0-13.0%), disease progression (n=391) 1.0% (95% CI, 0-2.9%), pancreatitis (n=700) 1.0% (95% CI, 0-2.0%) and severe skin reactions (n=836) 2.0% (95% CI, 1.0-3.8%). Incidence of treatment related deaths was 0.7%.

Conclusions

Immune related adverse effects can on occasion be life-threatening even though usually rare. Incidence of pneumonitis in PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors was significantly higher than that in chemotherapy. More studies should be conducted to investigate the incidence of these rare but life-threatening IRAEs.

Pembrolizumab for recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in an Asian population

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a high prevalence and is a major cause of cancer deaths in Taiwan. However, there is still no effective salvage therapy that prolongs the life expectancy of patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) HNSCC. Immune checkpoint therapy that targets the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) may provide clinical benefit for these patients. We analyzed 22 R/M HNSCC patients who received pembrolizumab, a monoclonal antibody against PD-1, as salvage therapy. Intravenous pembrolizumab was given at a fixed dosage of 100 or 200 mg every 3 weeks. Three patients also received local palliative radiotherapy, but no patients received chemotherapy or targeted drugs. Seventeen patients (77.3%) received at least 3 cycles of pembrolizumab. Based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria (ver. 1.1), 2 patients (9.1%) had complete response, 5 (22.7%) had partial response, and 6 (27.3%) had stable disease, corresponding to a disease control rate of 59.1%. Four patients had confirmed disease progression, 2 of whom had continuous progression over the target lesion after shrinkage of other metastases. One patient developed immune-related pneumonitis that resolved quickly after steroid treatment. Another patient developed itchy skin rashes immediately after administration of pembrolizumab, and this was controlled by an antihistamine. There were no other severe adverse effects. Pembrolizumab is beneficial and well-tolerated for some patients with refractory R/M HNSCC. However, it is important to identify biomarkers to identify the most responsive patients when designing future trials.

[Adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors]

After immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy was approved for renal cell carcinoma last year, this new immune therapy has spread to urology. Further approvals (atezolizumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab) are expected in 2017 for metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has progressed following treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy. With expanding use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, experience in diagnosing and managing immune-mediated adverse events increases. Although of low incidence, grade 3/4 toxicities play a central role. Organs most common for immune-mediated adverse events are skin, liver (hepatitis), kidneys (nephritis), gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea and colitis), lungs (pneumonitis), and endocrine organs (hyper-, hypothyroidism and hypophysitis). Diagnostic workup includes routine laboratory tests (including liver function tests) and may be supplemented with hormone values. In cases of pneumonitis or hypophysitis, imaging (high-resolution CT, MRI) can confirm diagnoses. Immune-mediated toxicities are treated with therapy interruption and administration of corticosteroids (and in individual cases additional immunosuppression). Dose modification is not intended!

T cell-targeting nanoparticles focus delivery of immunotherapy to improve antitumor immunity

Targeted delivery of compounds to particular cell subsets can enhance therapeutic index by concentrating their action on the cells of interest. Because attempts to target tumors directly have yielded limited benefit, we instead target endogenous immune cell subsets in the circulation that can migrate actively into tumors. We describe antibody-targeted nanoparticles that bind to CD8⁺ T cells in the blood, lymphoid tissues, and tumors of mice. PD-1⁺ T cells are successfully targeted in the circulation and tumor. The delivery of an inhibitor of TGFβ signaling to PD-1-expressing cells extends the survival of tumor-bearing mice, whereas free drugs have no effect at such doses. This modular platform also enables PD-1-targeted delivery of a TLR7/8 agonist to the tumor microenvironment, increasing the proportion of tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺ T cells and sensitizing tumors to subsequent anti-PD-1. Targeted delivery of immunotherapy to defined subsets of endogenous leukocytes may be superior to administration of free drugs.

Targeted delivery of immunomodulatory compounds to defined subsets of endogenous immune cells may improve the efficacy of combination immunotherapies. Here, the authors use PD-1-targeting nanoparticles containing a TGFβ inhibitor or a TLR7/8 agonist to deliver these payloads to T cells or via T cells to the tumor microenvironment, respectively, leading to anti-tumor efficacy in vivo.

Managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: consensus recommendations from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Toxicity Management Working Group

Cancer immunotherapy has transformed the treatment of cancer. However, increasing use of immune-based therapies, including the widely used class of agents known as immune checkpoint inhibitors, has exposed a discrete group of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Many of these are driven by the same immunologic mechanisms responsible for the drugs' therapeutic effects, namely blockade of inhibitory mechanisms that suppress the immune system and protect body tissues from an unconstrained acute or chronic immune response. Skin, gut, endocrine, lung and musculoskeletal irAEs are relatively common, whereas cardiovascular, hematologic, renal, neurologic and ophthalmologic irAEs occur much less frequently. The majority of irAEs are mild to moderate in severity; however, serious and occasionally life-threatening irAEs are reported in the literature, and treatment-related deaths occur in up to 2% of patients, varying by ICI. Immunotherapy-related irAEs typically have a delayed onset and prolonged duration compared to adverse events from chemotherapy, and effective management depends on early recognition and prompt intervention with immune suppression and/or immunomodulatory strategies. There is an urgent need for multidisciplinary guidance reflecting broad-based perspectives on how to recognize, report and manage organ-specific toxicities until evidence-based data are available to inform clinical decision-making. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) established a multidisciplinary Toxicity Management Working Group, which met for a full-day workshop to develop recommendations to standardize management of irAEs. Here we present their consensus recommendations on managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Radiomics to predict immunotherapy-induced pneumonitis: proof of concept

We present the first reported work that explores the potential of radiomics to predict patients who are at risk for developing immunotherapy-induced pneumonitis. Despite promising results with immunotherapies, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are challenging. Although less common, pneumonitis is a potentially fatal irAE. Thus, early detection is critical for improving treatment outcomes; an urgent need to identify biomarkers that predict patients at risk for pneumonitis exists. Radiomics, an emerging field, is the automated extraction of high fidelity, high-dimensional imaging features from standard medical images and allows for comprehensive visualization and characterization of the tissue of interest and corresponding microenvironment. In this pilot study, we sought to determine whether radiomics has the potential to predict development of pneumonitis. We performed radiomic analyses using baseline chest computed tomography images of patients who did (N = 2) and did not (N = 30) develop immunotherapy-induced pneumonitis. We extracted 1860 radiomic features in each patient. Maximum relevance and minimum redundancy feature selection method, anomaly detection algorithm, and leave-one-out cross-validation identified radiomic features that were significantly different and predicted subsequent immunotherapy-induced pneumonitis (accuracy, 100% [p = 0.0033]). This study suggests that radiomic features can classify and predict those patients at baseline who will subsequently develop immunotherapy-induced pneumonitis, further enabling risk-stratification that will ultimately lead to better treatment outcomes.

Radiological manifestations of immune-related adverse effects observed in patients with melanoma undergoing immunotherapy

Immunotherapy drugs work by stimulating the patient's own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. This subclass of drugs is increasingly administered to patients with advanced melanoma. They are also commonly incorporated into other cancer therapies such as non-small cell lung cancer, renal cancer, head and neck cancers and Hodgkin lymphoma. The most commonly administered immunotherapeutic agents in the treatment of melanoma include programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitors and a subclass of cytokines. During treatment with these antibodies, a unique set of adverse effects may occur which are often called immune-related adverse events (irAEs). It is vital for radiologists to be aware of and document these side effects during routine staging or body imaging during therapy. Some of these include pneumonitis, colitis, hypophysitis, lymphadenopathy or sarcoid-like syndrome and myositis. IrAEs such as sarcoid-like lymphadenopathy can mimic progression of disease. Serious side effects are seen in less than 10% of patients, and typically emerge between 6 and 12 weeks after commencing treatment. The clinical manifestations of these side effects typically vary from mild to severe and so do the radiological findings. Patients with mild side effects are often treated successfully with systemic corticosteroids, while severe cases require cessation of immunotherapy. We provide a pictorial article on the common irAEs and the associated radiological manifestations.

Pneumonitis and pneumonitis-related death in cancer patients treated with programmed cell death-1 inhibitors: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

We conducted a meta-analysis of published clinical trials to determine the relationship between the risks of pneumonitis and pneumonitis-related death and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitor treatment in patients with cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We examined clinical trials from the Medline and Google Scholar databases. Data from original studies and review articles were also cross-referenced and evaluated. Randomized Phase II and Phase III trials of pembrolizumab and nivolumab treatment in patients with cancer were eligible for the analysis. Information about the participants, all-grade and high-grade pneumonitis, and pneumonitis-related death was extracted from each study and analyzed.

RESULTS

After the exclusion of ineligible studies, 12 clinical trials were included in the analysis. The odds ratio (OR) for all-grade pneumonitis after PD-1 inhibitor treatment was 4.59 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.51-8.37; P<0.00001), and the OR for high-grade pneumonitis after PD-1 inhibitor treatment was 3.83 (95% CI: 1.54-9.48; P=0.004). The OR for pneumonitis-related death after PD-1 inhibitor treatment was 2.47 (95% CI: 0.41-14.81; P=0.32). Moreover, the OR for all-grade pneumonitis after nivolumab/ipilimumab combination therapy versus nivolumab monotherapy was 3.54 (95% CI: 1.52-8.23; P=0.003), and that for high-grade pneumonitis after nivolumab/ipilimumab combination therapy versus nivolumab monotherapy was 2.35 (95% CI: 0.45-12.13; P=0.31). Treated cancer appeared to have no effect on the risk of pneumonitis.

CONCLUSION

Our data showed that PD-1 inhibitors were associated with increased risks of all-grade and high-grade pneumonitis compared with chemotherapy or placebo controls in patients with cancer. However, we noted no significant difference between patients treated with a PD-1 inhibitor and patients treated with control regimens with respect to the risk of pneumonitis-related death.

Which treatment is preferred for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor in second-line therapy? A meta-analysis comparing immune checkpoint inhibitor, tyrosine kinase inhibitor and chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

The recommendations regarding the optimum treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with wild-type (WT) epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tumors remain unclear. This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy among programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody, EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) and chemotherapy in second-and third-line therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Randomized trials investigating two of the three treatments were searched and included. Multiple treatments comparison and pairwise comparison were performed to assess overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), expressed as hazard ratios (HRs). The effect of prespecified study-level characteristics was assessed by subgroup analysis and meta-regression.

RESULTS

12 randomized trials accruing 3341 advanced patients with WT EGFR tumors were analyzed. PD-1/PD-L1 antibody was associated with significantly longer OS and PFS than chemotherapy (OS: HR 0.67, 95% CrI 0.60-0.75; PFS: HR 0.83, 95% CrI 0.73-0.95) and TKI (OS: HR 0.59, 95% CrI 0.50-0.70; PFS: HR 0.75, 95% CrI 0.66-0.84) , while chemotherapy was associated with significantly longer OS (HR 0.88, 95% CrI 0.77-0.99) and PFS (HR 0.75, 95% CrI 0.66-0.84) than TKI.

CONCLUSIONS

For advanced NSCLC patients with WT-EGFR tumors in second- or third-line therapy, PD-1/PD-L1 antibody appeared to be the most efficacious treatment, which was followed by chemotherapy. EGFR-TKI was worse than chemotherapy.

PD-1 checkpoint inhibition: Toxicities and management

PURPOSE

With the recent approval of 5 PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for a number of malignancies, PD-1 axis inhibition is drastically changing the treatment landscape of immunotherapy in cancer. As PD-1/PD-L1 are involved in peripheral immune tolerance, inhibition of this immune checkpoint has led to novel immune-related adverse events including colitis, hepatitis, pneumonitis, rash, and endocrinopathies among many others.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this seminar, we will analyze the incidence of immune-related adverse events for nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, durvalumab, and avelumab. Then, we will discuss the specific management of the most common immune-mediated adverse events including colitis, hepatitis, pneumonitis, rash, endocrinopathies, nephritis, and neurologic toxicities.

RESULTS

Immune-related adverse events are frequently treated with immunosuppressive medication such as steroids and mycofenolate mofetil.

CONCLUSIONS

There are specific immune-related adverse events which are frequently seen by the treating oncologist from checkpoint inhibitors. It is essential to understand the recommended treatment options to minimize toxicity and mortality from this important class of anti-neoplastic therapies.

A randomized, open-label, Phase III clinical trial of nivolumab vs. therapy of investigator's choice in recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A subanalysis of Asian patients versus the global population in checkmate 141

OBJECTIVES

To assess efficacy and safety of nivolumab versus investigator's choice of therapy (IC) in Asian patients with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-four patients from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Korea received nivolumab 3mg/kg (n=23) every 2weeks or IC (n=11), as part of a global trial (n=361), until intolerable toxicity or disease progression. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Median OS was 9.5months (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.1-NR) with nivolumab and 6.2months (95% CI 2.6-NR) with IC. Seven (30.4%) patients receiving nivolumab and six (54.5%) receiving IC died. The hazard ratio (HR) for risk of death (nivolumab vs. IC) was 0.50 (95% CI 0.17-1.48). Median progression-free survival was 1.9months (95% CI 1.6-7.5) with nivolumab and 1.8months (95% CI 0.4-6.1) with IC (HR 0.57 [95% CI 0.25-1.33]). Objective response rates (complete+partial responses) were 26.1% (6/23 patients; 95% CI 10.2-48.4) for nivolumab and 0% (0/11 patients; 95% CI 0.0-28.5) for IC. Sixteen (69.6%) nivolumab-treated patients and 10 (90.9%) patients receiving IC had a treatment-related adverse event, most commonly decreased appetite (21.7%), pruritus, rash, and fatigue (17.4% each) with nivolumab, and nausea, stomatitis, and decreased appetite (27.3% each) with IC.

CONCLUSION

Nivolumab demonstrated a survival advantage compared with conventional treatments in Asian patients with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic SCCHN, and was well tolerated. Clinical trial registration NCT02105636.

Initial Experience With Lung Cancer Resection After Treatment With T-Cell Checkpoint Inhibitors

T-cell checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) have recently been approved for the treatment of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but their safety and efficacy as neoadjuvant therapy are still undefined. Autoimmune toxicities, notably pneumonitis, are a particular concern in the perioperative setting. This series of 5 cases describes for the first time the safety and technical issues relating to pulmonary resection after checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Nivolumab-induced Acute Fibrinous and Organizing Pneumonia (AFOP)

Although nivolumab is known to cause immune-related interstitial lung diseases (ILD), the detailed characteristics of ILD are still not fully understood. A 68-year-old man was treated with nivolumab because of unresectable sinonasal melanoma, he achieved a complete response soon after the initiation of the therapy and a complete response was thereafter maintained for 30 weeks until the patient experienced dyspnea of subacute onset. CT images revealed patchy infiltrates and ground-glass opacifications. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) contained elevated percentages of lymphocytes (53%) and neutrophils (30%). A transbronchial lung biopsy revealed intraalveolar fibrin balls without hyaline membranes, which was considered to be consistent with the pattern of acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP). This is the first report of AFOP induced by nivolumab.

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors associated with interstitial lung disease in cancer patients

Immunotherapy is becoming a standard of care for many cancers. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can generate immune-related adverse events. Interstitial lung disease (ILD) has been identified as a rare but potentially severe event.Between December 2015 and April 2016, we conducted a retrospective study in centres experienced in ICI use. We report the main features of ICI-ILD with a focus on clinical presentation, radiological patterns and therapeutic strategies.We identified 64 (3.5%) out of 1826 cancer patients with ICI-ILD. Patients mainly received programmed cell death-1 inhibitors. ILD usually occurred in males, and former or current smokers, with a median age of 59 years. We observed 65.6% grade 2/3 severity, 9.4% grade 4 severity and 9.4% fatal ILD. The median (range) time from initiation of immunotherapy to ILD was 2.3 (0.2-27.4) months. Onset tended to occur earlier in lung cancer versus melanoma: median 2.1 and 5.2 months, respectively (p=0.02). Ground-glass opacities (81.3%) were the predominant lesions, followed by consolidations (53.1%). Organising pneumonia (23.4%) and hypersensitivity pneumonitis (15.6%) were the most common patterns. Overall survival at 6 months was 58.1% (95% CI 37.7-73.8%).ICI-ILD often occurs early and displays suggestive radiological features. As there is no clearly identified risk factor, oncologists need to diagnose and adequately treat this adverse event.

Treatment with a programmed cell death-1-specific antibody has little effect on afatinib- and naphthalene-induced acute pneumonitis in mice

Although several antibodies developed to target programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) have demonstrated great promise for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and other malignancies, these therapeutic antibodies can cause pneumonitis. Furthermore, epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI)-induced pneumonitis was reported after treatment with anti PD-1 antibodies. We previously demonstrated that mice with naphthalene-induced airway epithelial injury developed severe gefitinib-induced pneumonitis through a neutrophil-dependent mechanism. The present study aimed to investigate whether treatment with afatinib, an EGFR-TKI that effectively targets EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC, and anti PD-1 antibodies induces pneumonitis in mice. C57BL/6J mice were treated intraperitoneally with naphthalene (200 mg/kg) on day 0. Afatinib (20 mg/kg) was administered orally on days -1 to 13. An anti-PD-1 antibody (0.2 mg/mice) was also administered intraperitoneally every 3 days from day 1 until day 13. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were sampled on day 14. As observed previously with gefitinib, afatinib significantly increased the severity of histopathologic findings and the level of protein in BALF on day 14, compared to treatment with naphthalene alone. A combined anti-PD-1 antibody and afatinib treatment after naphthalene administration had yielded the same histopathological grade of lung inflammation as did afatinib treatment alone. Our results suggest that anti-PD-1 antibody treatment has little effect on afatinib-induced lung injury.

Atezolizumab for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

The immune system can restrain or promote cancer development and growth. Antibodies targeting immune checkpoints have revolutionized cancer treatment. Among the best responses have been in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which is largely caused by chronic exposure to carcinogens; associated with high neoantigen creation and sensitization to immune recognition. Atezolizumab was the first approved antibody that targets the PD-1 ligand (PD-L1). Areas covered: This drug profile article covers the basics of the cancer-immunity cycle and reviews some aspects of innate and adaptive immunology. We discuss the discovery of PD-L1 and PD-L2 while highlight the potential differences in targeting PD-L1 versus PD-1. In addition, we briefly summarized the available pre-clinical and clinical data of atezolizumab use in NSCLC. A special section covers the challenges of PD-L1 immunohistochemistry assay. Expert commentary: PD-1:PD-L1 blockade has taken the lead in the immunotherapeutics field and represents the backbone of developing combination immunotherapies. Atezolizumab represents a step forward in the treatment of advanced NSCLC, nonetheless PD1:PD-L1 blockade in early-stage lung cancer is still a matter of debate.

Clinical features, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies in checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors, represent an effective treatment modality for multiple malignancies. Despite the exciting clinical benefits, checkpoint inhibition is associated with a series of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), many of which can be life-threatening and result in significant treatment delays. Pneumonitis is an adverse event of special interest as it led to treatment-related deaths in early clinical trials. This review summarizes the incidence of pneumonitis during treatment with the different checkpoint inhibitors and discusses the prognostic significance of tumor type. The wide range of clinical, radiographic, and histologic characteristics of checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis is reviewed and followed by guidance on the different management strategies.

Inflammatory Arthritis: A Newly Recognized Adverse Event of Immune Checkpoint Blockade

This commentary summarizes current knowledge on the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of the inflammatory arthritis which may occur as an immune‐related adverse evet of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Herein, we propose a new algorithm aimed at assisting oncologists in the diagnosis and management of this immune‐related adverse event.

Drug-Related Pneumonitis in the Era of Precision Cancer Therapy

Drug-related pneumonitis as a result of novel cancer therapy provides new challenges for providers of cancer care in the era of precision medicine. Awareness of this emerging entity and knowledge of its manifestations and management guidelines are essential for state-of-the-art practice of clinical oncology. Here, we provide a detailed review of drug-related pneumonitis that develops during precision cancer therapies using immune-checkpoint inhibitors and molecular targeting agents, and we summarize the emerging data that have been obtained by recent investigations to provide a state-of-the-art overview for clinicians involved in cancer care. We focus on immune-checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis, which is an immune-related adverse event of growing interest and increasing clinical significance in current oncology practice that has rapidly expanding access to these agents. Clinical characteristics, radiographic spectrum, and risk factors and outcome of pneumonitis are described for each class of agents, and current treatment guidelines and monitoring recommendations are discussed. This review also indicates the area of unmet clinical need and provides direction for future investigations, as well as emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to further understand the mechanisms, develop methods for accurate diagnosis, and optimize management guidelines of drug-related pneumonitis in the era of precision oncology.

Combined immune checkpoint blockade (anti-PD-1/anti-CTLA-4): Evaluation and management of adverse drug reactions

BACKGROUND

Combined immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) provides unprecedented efficacy gains in numerous cancer indications, with PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab plus CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab in advanced melanoma as first-ever approved therapies for combined ICB. However, gains in efficacy must be balanced against a higher frequency and severity of adverse drug reactions (ADR). Because delays in diagnosis and management might result in symptom worsening and further complications, clinicians shall be well trained to identify ADR promptly and monitor patients adequately. This paper reviews safety data assessed by the European Medicines Agency for the anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 combination and provides a literature overview on published case reports for rare ADR with suspected potential underreporting. Incidences and kinetics of immune-related ADR are described. Recommendations for the evaluation and management of ADR are convened by an interdisciplinary expert panel focusing on rare but clinically important side effects arising from combined ICB. Pooled safety data from 1551 patients with advanced melanoma, treated either with 3mg/kg ipilimumab plus 1mg/kg nivolumab (N=407), or nivolumab alone (N=787), or ipilimumab alone (N=357) demonstrate that immune-related ADR occur more frequently for the combination, with a shorter time-to-onset, and tend to be more severe. The majority of events is reversible after systemic use of glucocorticoids, notably methylprednisolone or equivalents; in certain cases of long-lasting and refractory immune toxicities, non-steroidal immunosuppressants may be used, once ICB is interrupted or terminated. Combined ICB has considerable toxicities, therefore close monitoring and high experience in diagnosis and treatment of ADR is necessary.

Pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and management of immune checkpoint inhibitors toxicity

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as an effective treatment for several tumor types and their use in clinical practice is expected to further increase in the immediate future. Although these agents are well tolerated, they are associated with a peculiar spectrum of toxicity, which is immune mediated and may potentially affect every organ. However, immune-related adverse events are mostly reversible if promptly diagnosed and adequately treated. Therefore, it is crucial that medical oncologists know how to diagnose and treat immune-related adverse events. This review focuses on the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations and management of immune-related toxicity of anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies.

Innate Immune Landscape in Early Lung Adenocarcinoma by Paired Single-Cell Analyses

To guide the design of immunotherapy strategies for patients with early stage lung tumors, we developed a multiscale immune profiling strategy to map the immune landscape of early lung adenocarcinoma lesions to search for tumor-driven immune changes. Utilizing a barcoding method that allows a simultaneous single-cell analysis of the tumor, non-involved lung, and blood cells, we provide a detailed immune cell atlas of early lung tumors. We show that stage I lung adenocarcinoma lesions already harbor significantly altered T cell and NK cell compartments. Moreover, we identified changes in tumor-infiltrating myeloid cell (TIM) subsets that likely compromise anti-tumor T cell immunity. Paired single-cell analyses thus offer valuable knowledge of tumor-driven immune changes, providing a powerful tool for the rational design of immune therapies. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

Pembrolizumab, pomalidomide, and low-dose dexamethasone for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma

Programmed death 1 (PD-1) receptor and its ligand (PD-L1) facilitate immune evasion in multiple myeloma (MM). We hypothesized that pembrolizumab, PD-1-antibody, can enhance antimyeloma cellular immunity generated by pomalidomide, leading to improved clinical responses. In this single-center, phase 2 study, 48 patients with relapsed/refractory MM (RRMM) received 28-day cycles of pembrolizumab, 200 mg IV every 2 weeks, pomalidomide 4 mg daily for 21 days, and dexamethasone 40 mg weekly. Patients had a median of 3 (range: 2-5) lines of therapy, median age 64 (range: 35-83) years, and had received both an immune modulatory drug (IMiD) and proteasome inhibitor: (35 [73%] of 48) were refractory to both; (31 [70%]) had received an autologous transplant, and (30 [62%]) had high-risk cytogenetics. Adverse events grade 3 to 4 occurred in (19 [40%] of 48 patients), including hematologic toxicities (19 [40%]), hyperglycemia (12 [25%]), and pneumonia (7 [15%]). Autoimmune events included pneumonitis (6 [13%]) and hypothyroidism (5 [10%]), mostly ≤ grade 2. Objective responses occurred in (29 [60%] of 48) patients, including stringent complete response/complete response (4 [8%]), very good partial response (9 [19%]), and partial response (16 [33%]); median duration of response was 14.7 months. At median follow-up of 15.6 months, progression-free survival (PFS) was 17.4 months and overall survival was not reached. Analyses of pretreatment marrow samples revealed a trend for increased expression of PD-L1 in responding patients and longer PFS with increased T-lymphocyte infiltrates, irrespective of PD-1 expression. Pembrolizumab, pomalidomide, and low-dose dexamethasone have acceptable safety and durable responses in RRMM patients. This trial was registered at www.clincialtrials.gov as #NCT02289222.

Risk of Pneumonitis Associated with Programmed Cell Death 1 Inhibitors in Cancer Patients: A Meta-analysis

Pneumonitis, a rare but potentially life-threatening adverse event in cancer patients receiving programmed death 1 (PD-1) or programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, has been reported in case reports, clinical trials, and retrospective studies. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to calculate the RR of pneumonitis associated with the use of PD-1/L1 inhibitors in randomized clinical trials (RCT). We searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, trial registers, conference proceedings, review articles, and reference lists of trial publications for all relevant RCTs comparing PD-1/L1 inhibitors to control with available data on pneumonitis. The pooled incidence, RR, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using fixed effects or random effects model according to the heterogeneity of included trials. Twelve RCTs were eligible for the meta-analysis, yielding a total of 5,775 patients included in trials evaluating a PD-1 inhibitor; no eligible trials evaluated a PD-L1 inhibitor. The pooled incidence of all-grade pneumonitis for patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors was 3.2% (95% CI, 2.3-4.5), and that of high-grade pneumonitis was 1.1% (95% CI, 0.7-1.7). The RR of all-grade and high-grade pneumonitis was 4.36 (95% CI, 2.58-7.38) and 2.86 (95% CI, 1.30-6.31), respectively. In a sensitivity analysis, PD-1 inhibitors were also associated with significantly increased risk of pneumonitis per person-month (for all grade, RR = 3.37; 95% CI, 1.97-5.76; for high grade, RR = 2.25; 95% CI, 1.03-4.94). PD-1 inhibitors were associated with a significant increase of all-grade and high-grade pneumonitis both per treatment episode and per person-month. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(8); 1588-95. ©2017 AACR.

Granuloma-forming interstitial pneumonia induced by nivolumab: a possible immune-related adverse event of the lung

Nivolumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting the PD-1, has recently been used as a standard treatment for lung cancer, melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. We herein report the case of a patient undergoing treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who developed interstitial pneumonia which featured nivolumab-induced granuloma formation. An 82-year-old male patient with NSCLC was initially treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Five years later, however, he developed metastatic carcinoma in a hilar lymph node accompanied by ground glass opacity (GGO), suggesting tumor cell invasion. Treatment with nivolumab was initiated. At 21 days after the first dose of nivolumab, he complained of cough and dyspnea. Chest computed tomography scans demonstrated tumor progression and newly formed GGO in the area surrounding the primary tumor. Fibrosing active alveolitis with granuloma formation and organizing pneumonia findings were observed in the pathological examination of a transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) specimen. No malignant cells were found in TBLB. A bacteriological analysis of cultures, a PCR, and special staining did not reveal any infections. The patient's pneumonitis improved after treatment with systemic corticosteroids. Granuloma-forming interstitial pneumonia may be a feature of nivolumab-associated pneumonitis.

[Adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors]

After immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy was approved for renal cell carcinoma last year, this new immune therapy has spread to urology. Further approvals (atezolizumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab) are expected in 2017 for metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has progressed following treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy. With expanding use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, experience in diagnosing and managing immune-mediated adverse events increases. Although of low incidence, grade 3/4 toxicities play a central role. Organs most common for immune-mediated adverse events are skin, liver (hepatitis), kidneys (nephritis), gastrointestinal tract (diarrhea and colitis), lungs (pneumonitis), and endocrine organs (hyper-, hypothyroidism and hypophysitis). Diagnostic workup includes routine laboratory tests (including liver function tests) and may be supplemented with hormone values. In cases of pneumonitis or hypophysitis, imaging (high-resolution CT, MRI) can confirm diagnoses. Immune-mediated toxicities are treated with therapy interruption and administration of corticosteroids (and in individual cases additional immunosuppression). Dose modification is not intended!

Peritumoural ground-glass opacity associated with tumour pseudoprogression in a patient with non-small cell lung cancer treated with nivolumab

Nivolumab, a monoclonal antibody to programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), has revolutionised the management of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Treatment with nivolumab is associated with toxicities known as immune-related adverse events. Although pneumonitis is a potentially serious event, little is known of its clinical and radiographic features. We here report a case of NSCLC for which treatment with nivolumab resulted in the development of ground-glass opacity surrounding the primary lung tumour and an associated increase in tumour size. Administration of prednisone led to rapid resolution of both clinical symptoms and the abnormal shadow on the lung field as well as shrinkage of the tumour. However, retreatment with nivolumab induced clinical and radiographic manifestations similar to those triggered by the first challenge. Given the increasing use of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with NSCLC, further studies are warranted to provide a better understanding of this phenomenon.

Nuclear IRF-1 expression as a mechanism to assess "Capability" to express PD-L1 and response to PD-1 therapy in metastatic melanoma

Background

Predictive biomarkers for antibodies against programmed death 1 (PD-1) remain a major unmet need in metastatic melanoma. Specifically, response is seen in tumors that do not express programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), highlighting the need for a more sensitive biomarker. We hypothesize that capacity to express PD-L1, as assessed by an assay for a PD-L1 transcription factor, interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1), may better distinguish patients likely to benefit from anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

Methods

Samples from 47 melanoma patients that received nivolumab, pembrolizumab, or combination ipilimumab/nivolumab at Yale New Haven Hospital from May 2013 to March 2016 were collected. Expression of IRF-1 and PD-L1 in archival pre-treatment formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples were assessed by the AQUA method of quantitative immunofluorescence. Objective radiographic response (ORR) and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed using modified RECIST v1.1 criteria.

Results

Nuclear IRF-1 expression was higher in patients with partial or complete response (PR/CR) than in patients with stable or progressive disease (SD/PD) (p = 0.044). There was an insignificant trend toward higher PD-L1 expression in patients with PR/CR (p = 0.085). PFS was higher in the IRF-1-high group than the IRF-1-low group (p = 0.017), while PD-L1 expression had no effect on PFS (p = 0.83). In a subset analysis, a strong association with PFS is seen in patients treated with combination ipilimumab and nivolumab (p = 0.0051).

Conclusions

As a measure of PD-L1 expression capability, IRF-1 expression may be a more valuable predictive biomarker for anti-PD-1 therapy than PD-L1 itself.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40425-017-0229-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Do hospitals need oncological critical care units?

Since the inception of critical care as a formal discipline in the late 1950s, we have seen rapid specialization to many types of intensive care units (ICUs) to accommodate evolving life support technologies and novel therapies in various disciplines of medicine. Indeed, the field has expanded such that specialized ICUs currently exist to address critical care problems in medicine, cardiology, neurology and neurosurgery, trauma, burns, organ transplant and cardiothoracic surgeries. Specialization does not only need new infrastructure, but also training and staffing of health care providers, ancillary staff, and development and implementation of processes of care. Oncology is another branch of medicine with growing ICU needs. Given the rise in cancer incidence worldwide and better survival rates alongside advances in chemotherapeutic and surgical options, more cancer patients are nowadays requiring advanced life support for cancer-related complications, treatment-related toxicities and severe infections. Here we provide a brief summary of the current evidence supporting the specialization of critical care and explore three different models of care for critically ill cancer patients, including the development of a specialized oncological ICU. Finally, we also discuss recently published and future research related to the care of critically ill cancer patients.

Severe nivolumab-induced pneumonitis preceding durable clinical remission in a patient with refractory, metastatic lung squamous cell cancer: a case report

Background

Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors have quickly become standard of care for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and increasing numbers of other cancer types. In this report, we discuss the clinical history, pathological evaluation, and genomic findings in a patient with metastatic lung squamous cell cancer (SCC) who developed severe nivolumab-induced pneumonitis preceding durable clinical remission after three doses of nivolumab.

Case presentation

A patient with chemotherapy-refractory, metastatic lung SCC developed symptomatic pneumonitis by week 4 after nivolumab treatment, concurrently with onset of a potent antitumor response. Despite discontinuation of nivolumab after three doses and the use of high dose oral corticosteroids for grade 3 pneumonitis, continued tumor response to a complete remission by 3 months was evident by radiographic assessment. At the time of this submission, the patient has remained in clinical remission for 14 months. High PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemistry staining was seen in intra-alveolar macrophages and viable tumor cells in the pneumonitis and recurrent tumor specimens, respectively. Tumor genomic profiling by FoundationOne targeted exome sequencing revealed a very high tumor mutation burden (TMB) corresponding to 95–96 percentile in lung SCC, i.e., 87.4–91.0 and 82.9 mut/Mb, respectively, in pre- and post-nivolumab tumor specimens. Except for one, the 13 functional genomic alterations remained the same in the diagnostic, recurrent, and post-treatment, relapsed tumor specimens, suggesting that nivolumab reset the patient’s immune system against one or more preexisting tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). One potential TAA candidate is telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in which an oncogenic promoter -146C>T mutation was detected. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) typing revealed HLA-A*0201 homozygosity, which is the prevalent HLA class I allele that has been used to develop universal cancer vaccine targeting TERT-derived peptides.

Conclusions

Nivolumab could quickly reset and sustain host immunity against preexisting TAA(s) in this chemotherapy-refractory lung SCC patient. Further mechanistic studies are needed to characterize the effective immune cells and define the HLA-restricted TAA(s) and the specific T cell receptor clones responsible for the potent antitumor effect, with the aim of developing precision immunotherapy with improved effectiveness and safety.

Pulmonary Infiltrates in a Patient With Advanced Melanoma

The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors' suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, to patients seen in their own clinical practice. A 60-year-old former smoker with metastatic melanoma presented with the chief complaint of pulmonary infiltrates. Five years ago, he was diagnosed with a left chest wall melanoma. He underwent surgery but received no additional therapy for an American Joint Committee on Cancer stage T3a N0 M0 tumor that was 2.7 mm in depth with no ulceration of the epidermal surface. Resection margins were free of tumor. Four years later, he underwent excision of a raised pigmented skin lesion on his left calf that proved to be melanoma with positive margins. He underwent re-excision of melanoma but 2 months later developed a new left hip soft tissue nodule. Positron emission tomography (PET) -computed tomography showed multiple hypermetabolic lesions involving subcutaneous tissue, muscle osseous structures, and bone marrow, consistent with advanced melanoma. He began systemic therapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab. After four cycles of immunotherapy, he developed a nonproductive cough and mild dyspnea on exertion (Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale score of 2 [ie, he had to stop for breath when walking at his own pace on level ground]). A chest x-ray showed bilateral hilar enlargement, thickening of the right paratracheal stripe, and scattered patchy increased interstitial markings bilaterally. PET and chest computed tomography images showed enlarged mediastinal adenopathy with increased [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose uptake on PET and scattered diffuse 1- to 2-mm pulmonary nodules with ground-glass opacities ( Fig 1 ). The patient was referred for pulmonary input. The patient had smoked one pack of cigarettes per day for 35 years; he quit 6 years ago. He had no history of pneumonia, childhood asthma, or tuberculosis. His mother had asthma, but there was no other family history of asthma or other lung disease.

The safety of nivolumab for the treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer

INTRODUCTION

Immune checkpoint blockaders (ICBs) act by unbalancing the immune system, thus favoring the development of an immune-mediated antitumor effect. ICBs targeting the programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) have recently been investigated in a number of advanced tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nivolumab, a fully human IgG4 kappa directed against PD-1, has been the first ICB to be approved for second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Areas covered: In this review we focus on the clinical development of nivolumab for the treatment of advanced NSCLC, with an emphasis on its safety profile. In addition, we summarize the most common types of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) associated with nivolumab, mainly due to organ inflammation secondary to autoimmunity. Expert opinion: Nivolumab is the preferred treatment option for platinum-pretreated advanced NSCLC, having convincingly shown higher efficacy compared with standard docetaxel chemotherapy in phase III trials. The same trials showed far less incidence of either any grade and severe treatment-related AEs with nivolumab compared with chemotherapy. IrAEs associated with nivolumab are rarely severe in intensity, and often resolve with prompt management. Future studies will explore nivolumab in combination strategies with either platinum-based chemotherapy or other ICBs in treatment-naïve advanced NSCLC patients.

Integrating immunotherapy into chemoradiation regimens for medically inoperable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

For patients with inoperable stage II-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the backbone of curative intent therapy is concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). As checkpoint inhibitors have shown clinical benefit in the setting of metastatic NSCLC, additional study is necessary to understand their role in patients receiving CRT. When integrating immunotherapy with radiotherapy (RT) for cure, clinicians will need to consider synergy, timing, doses, and safety among the combination of therapies. This article seeks to review data evaluating interactions, temporal sequencing, fractionation, and overlapping toxicity profiles of thoracic chemoradiation and immunotherapy.

Special topics in immunotherapy and radiation therapy: reirradiation and palliation

Immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, thus far, its use has only been established in patients with advanced disease either as first-line therapy in selected patients or following chemotherapy. What is not yet known is how best to incorporate radiation with immunotherapy agents. Many patients with advanced disease can benefit from palliative radiation, but the combination of radiation with immunotherapy has the potential to increase the toxicity of both modalities. Intriguingly, the combination also has the potential to enhance the efficacy of both modalities. For this reason, combining immunotherapy and radiation may help salvage patients with recurrent localized disease who are candidates for re-irradiation. We review the current data evaluating immunotherapy with both palliative radiation as well as definitive re-irradiation in NSCLC.