Mechanisms of immune-related adverse events during the treatment of cancer with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Mechanisms, combination therapy, and biomarkers in cancer immunotherapy resistance

Anti-programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1) antibodies exert significant antitumor effects by overcoming tumor cell immune evasion and reversing T-cell exhaustion. However, the emergence of drug resistance causes most patients to respond poorly to these immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Studies have shown that insufficient T-cell infiltration, lack of PD-1 expression, deficient interferon signaling, loss of tumor antigen presentation, and abnormal lipid metabolism are all considered to be closely associated with immunotherapy resistance. To address drug resistance in tumor immunotherapy, a lot of research has concentrated on developing combination therapy strategies. Currently, ICIs such as anti-PD-1 /PD-L1 antibody combined with chemotherapy and targeted therapy have been approved for clinical treatment. In this review, we analyze the mechanisms of resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in terms of the tumor microenvironment, gut microbiota, epigenetic regulation, and co-inhibitory immune checkpoint receptors. We also discuss various promising combination therapeutic strategies to address resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 drugs, including combining these therapies with traditional Chinese medicine, non-coding RNAs, targeted therapy, other ICIs, and personalized cancer vaccines. Moreover, we focus on biomarkers that predict resistance to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy as well as combination therapy efficacy. Finally, we suggest ways to further expand the application of immunotherapy through personalized combination strategies using biomarker systems.

Uncommon Adverse Events of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review of Case Reports

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to systematically review case reports documenting rare adverse events in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) following the administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

METHODS

A systematic literature review was conducted to identify case reports detailing previously unreported adverse drug reactions to ICIs in patients with SCLC. The scope of the literature reviewed was restricted to case studies on SCLC published up to 31 December 2023.

RESULTS

We analyzed twenty-four studies on ICI use for patients with SCLC. There were six reports on atezolizumab, four on durvalumab, and three on adverse events from monotherapy with nivolumab. Reports involving combination treatments were the most frequent, with a total of six, predominantly involving using nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab. Additionally, there was one report each on using pembrolizumab, nofazinilimab, sintilimab, tislelizumab, and toripalimab. We collected detailed information on the clinical course, including patient and disease characteristics, symptoms, treatment for each adverse event, and recovery status. Among the patients included in the case reports, 21 out of 24 (87.5%) had extensive-stage SCLC when initiating ICI therapy, with only 1 patient diagnosed with limited-stage SCLC. Respiratory system adverse events were most common, with seven cases, followed by neurological, endocrinological, and gastroenterological events. Three case reports documented adverse events across multiple systems in a single patient. In most cases, patients showed symptom improvement; however, four studies reported cases where patients either expired without symptom improvement or experienced sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS

Efforts to develop reliable biomarkers for predicting irAEs continue, with ongoing research to enhance predictive precision. Immunotherapy presents diverse and unpredictable adverse events, underscoring the need for advanced diagnostic tools and a multidisciplinary approach to improve patient management.

Myasthenia Gravis-Like Syndrome Resulting From Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in a Patient With Urothelial Carcinoma

The widespread use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for the treatment of various types of cancer has led to increasing reports of associated adverse effects. The use of the ipilimumab/nivolumab/sacituzumab combination is currently under study in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma, given their potential synergism for immunogenic cell death. Information regarding the toxicity spectrum of this combination is lacking. Here, we describe a patient with urothelial carcinoma who had a severe multisystem autoimmune-like toxicity and myasthenia gravis-like syndrome in response to the ipilimumab/nivolumab/sacituzumab combination therapy. We also briefly describe the literature regarding the association between combined immunotherapy use and systemic and neurological autoimmunity.

Rehabilitation of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases and comorbidities: unmet needs

Comorbidities may contribute to inadequate response to therapy and accelerate disability in various rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Cardiovascular, oncological, and infectious comorbidities are common in rheumatic patients. The rehabilitation of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) with comorbidities requires a multidisciplinary approach to improving patients' functional mobility, slowing down the disease progression and minimizing the risks of complications. The evidence suggests that cardiac rehabilitation can be implemented in daily practice in patients with IRDs to reduce mortality for those with established risk factors. Physical exercises reduce the severity, improve the clinical course, and reduce hospitalization rates in patients with rheumatic diseases. A rehabilitation program with focused physical therapy can lead to functional improvements and reduction of disease activity in patients with lowered quality of life (QoL). Health professionals should provide evidence-based recommendations for patients with rheumatic diseases and comorbidities to initiate the self-management of their diseases and prevent complications.

Transverse Myelitis: An Adverse Reaction to Abatacept

Immunotherapies are powerful disease-modifying agents in treating autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, their unique mechanisms of action confer a broad spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which tend to be rare but complex, with significant risk for morbidity and mortality. We report a case of transverse myelitis in a patient with RA whose joint disease had been well-controlled with long-term intravenous abatacept. Suspicion of an unusual irAE in this elderly patient, whose neurologic symptomatology was gradual and protracted, prompted the discontinuation of abatacept and the rapid initiation of corticosteroid therapy. These interventions yielded a favorable clinical outcome for the patient. We must draw clinicians' attention to this rare but potentially consequential adverse drug reaction.

Tumor-derived exosomal PD-L1: a new perspective in PD-1/PD-L1 therapy for lung cancer

Exosomes play a crucial role in facilitating intercellular communication within organisms. Emerging evidence indicates that a distinct variant of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), found on the surface of exosomes, may be responsible for orchestrating systemic immunosuppression that counteracts the efficacy of anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) checkpoint therapy. Specifically, the presence of PD-L1 on exosomes enables them to selectively target PD-1 on the surface of CD8+ T cells, leading to T cell apoptosis and impeding T cell activation or proliferation. This mechanism allows tumor cells to evade immune pressure during the effector stage. Furthermore, the quantification of exosomal PD-L1 has the potential to serve as an indicator of the dynamic interplay between tumors and immune cells, thereby suggesting the promising utility of exosomes as biomarkers for both cancer diagnosis and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor therapy. The emergence of exosomal PD-L1 inhibitors as a viable approach for anti-tumor treatment has garnered significant attention. Depleting exosomal PD-L1 may serve as an effective adjunct therapy to mitigate systemic immunosuppression. This review aims to elucidate recent insights into the role of exosomal PD-L1 in the field of immune oncology, emphasizing its potential as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tool in lung cancer.

Orofacial complications from immune checkpoint inhibitors: A retrospective analysis from two academic medical centers

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are FDA-approved for various cancers, yet their orofacial immune-related adverse events (irAEs) remain poorly understood. Our two-center retrospective study aims to better understand the prevalence and nature of these orofacial irAEs.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected demographics, ICI details, and onset of orofacial irAEs in ICI-treated patients at University of California San Francisco and City of Hope (2013-2021). Orofacial irAEs were identified by ICD-10 codes and data categorized as dry mouth/xerostomia, oral mucosal lesions, and orofacial neuropathies. Patients with pre-existing orofacial conditions resembling the reported irAEs were excluded.

RESULTS

Among 3768 ICI-treated patients, 408 (10.8%) developed 467 orofacial irAEs: oral mucosal diseases (41.4%), dry mouth/xerostomia (41.0%), and orofacial neuropathies (17.6%). Notably, head and neck cancers had the highest incidence of orofacial irAEs.

CONCLUSIONS

Orofacial irAEs are relatively common in patients receiving ICIs, necessitating careful monitoring and management of these complications during and after the treatment.

Protective effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound on immune checkpoint inhibitor-related myocarditis via fine-tuning CD4+ T-cell differentiation

PURPOSE

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed traditional cancer treatments. Specifically, ICI-related myocarditis is an immune-related adverse event (irAE) with high mortality. ICIs activate CD4+ T-lymphocyte reprogramming, causing an imbalance between Th17 and Treg cell differentiation, ultimately leading to myocardial inflammatory damage. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) can limit inflammatory responses, with positive therapeutic effects across various cardiovascular inflammatory diseases; however, its role in the pathogenesis of ICI-related myocarditis and CD4+ T-cell dysfunction remains unclear. Accordingly, this study investigated whether LIPUS can alleviate ICI-related myocarditis inflammatory damage and, if so, aimed to elucidate the beneficial effects of LIPUS and its underlying molecular mechanisms.

METHODS

An in vivo model of ICI-related myocarditis was obtained by intraperitonially injecting male A/J mice with an InVivoPlus anti-mouse PD-1 inhibitor. LIPUS treatment was performed via an ultrasound-guided application to the heart via the chest wall. The echocardiographic parameters were observed and cardiac function was assessed using an in vivo imaging system. The expression of core components of the HIPPO pathway was analyzed via western blotting.

RESULTS

LIPUS treatment reduced cardiac immune responses and inflammatory cardiac injury. Further, LIPUS treatment alleviated the inflammatory response in mice with ICI-related myocarditis. Mechanistically, in the HIPPO pathway, the activation of Mst1-TAZ axis improved autoimmune inflammation by altering the interaction between the transcription factors FOXP3 and RORγt and regulating the differentiation of Treg and Th17 cells.

CONCLUSION

LIPUS therapy was shown to reduce ICI-related myocarditis inflammatory damage and improve cardiac function, representing an exciting finding for irAEs treatment.

Expansion of Pathogenic Cardiac Macrophages in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Myocarditis

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), antibodies targeting PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1)/PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) or CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4), have revolutionized cancer management but are associated with devastating immune-related adverse events including myocarditis. The main risk factor for ICI myocarditis is the use of combination PD-1 and CTLA4 inhibition. ICI myocarditis is often fulminant and is pathologically characterized by myocardial infiltration of T lymphocytes and macrophages. Although much has been learned about the role of T-cells in ICI myocarditis, little is understood about the identity, transcriptional diversity, and functions of infiltrating macrophages.

METHODS

We used an established murine ICI myocarditis model (Ctla4+/-Pdcd1-/- mice) to explore the cardiac immune landscape using single-cell RNA-sequencing, immunostaining, flow cytometry, in situ RNA hybridization, molecular imaging, and antibody neutralization studies.

RESULTS

We observed marked increases in CCR2 (C-C chemokine receptor type 2)+ monocyte-derived macrophages and CD8+ T-cells in this model. The macrophage compartment was heterogeneous and displayed marked enrichment in an inflammatory CCR2+ subpopulation highly expressing Cxcl9 (chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 9), Cxcl10 (chemokine [C-X-C motif] ligand 10), Gbp2b (interferon-induced guanylate-binding protein 2b), and Fcgr4 (Fc receptor, IgG, low affinity IV) that originated from CCR2+ monocytes. It is important that a similar macrophage population expressing CXCL9, CXCL10, and CD16α (human homologue of mouse FcgR4) was expanded in patients with ICI myocarditis. In silico prediction of cell-cell communication suggested interactions between T-cells and Cxcl9+Cxcl10+ macrophages via IFN-γ (interferon gamma) and CXCR3 (CXC chemokine receptor 3) signaling pathways. Depleting CD8+ T-cells or macrophages and blockade of IFN-γ signaling blunted the expansion of Cxcl9+Cxcl10+ macrophages in the heart and attenuated myocarditis, suggesting that this interaction was necessary for disease pathogenesis.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that ICI myocarditis is associated with the expansion of a specific population of IFN-γ-induced inflammatory macrophages and suggest the possibility that IFN-γ blockade may be considered as a treatment option for this devastating condition.

Impact of immunosenescence and inflammaging on the effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are employed in immunotherapeutic applications for patients with weakened immune systems and can improve the ability of T cells to kill cancer cells. Although ICIs can potentially treat different types of cancers in various groups of patients, their effectiveness may differ among older individuals. The reason ICIs are less effective in older adults is not yet clearly understood, but age-related changes in the immune system, such as immunosenescence and inflammation, may play a role. Therefore, this review focuses on recent advances in understanding the effects of immunosenescence and inflammation on the efficacy of ICIs.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Recipients of Renal Allografts

Kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of malignancy as a result of immunosuppression and are increasingly exposed to checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs). However, CPI therapy can precipitate allograft rejection. This review aims to summarize the current literature describing the epidemiology, immunological mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of CPI-associated allograft rejection.Initial studies of CPIs suggested allograft rejection post commencement of CPIs occured commonly (40-60%), occurring between 2 and 6 weeks after CPI initiation, with a cancer response rate approaching 50%. More recent studies with predefined, structured immunosuppressive regimens have seen rejection rates of 0-12.5%, with rejection occurring later. Allograft biopsy remains the mainstay of diagnosis; however, noninvasive tools are emerging, including donor-derived cell-free DNA, urinary chemokine assessment, and defining alloreactive T-cell clones prior to or during CPI therapy.

Immune-related adverse events with bispecific T-cell engager therapy targeting B-cell maturation antigen

Not available.

Mechanisms and biomarkers of immune-related adverse events in gastric cancer

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), different from traditional cancer treatment models, have shown unprecedented anti-tumor effects in the past decade, greatly improving the prognosis of many malignant tumors in clinical practice. At present, the most widely used ICIs in clinical immunotherapy for a variety of solid tumors are monoclonal antibodies against cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and their ligand PD-L1. However, tumor patients may induce immune-related adverse events (irAEs) while performing immunotherapy, and irAE is an obstacle to the prospect of ICI treatment. IrAE is a non-specific disease caused by immune system imbalance, which can occur in many tissues and organs. For example, skin, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system and lung. Although the exact mechanism is not completely clear, related studies have shown that irAE may develop through many ways. Such as excessive activation of autoreactive T cells, excessive release of inflammatory cytokines, elevated levels of autoantibodies, and common antigens between tumors and normal tissues. Considering that the occurrence of severe IrAE not only causes irreversible damage to the patient's body, but also terminates immunotherapy due to immune intolerance. Therefore, accurate identification and screening of sensitive markers of irAE are the main beneficiaries of ICI treatment. Additionally, irAEs usually require specific management, the most common of which are steroids and immunomodulatory therapies. This review aims to summarize the current biomarkers for predicting irAE in gastric cancer and their possible mechanisms.

Safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy in patients with preexisting type 1 diabetes mellitus

Introduction

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) produce dramatic tumor shrinkage and durable responses in many advanced malignancies, but their use is limited by the development of immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) that occur in up to 60% of patients and often affect endocrine organs. Concern for more severe IRAEs in patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), has led to the exclusion of such individuals from clinical trials of ICI therapy. As a result, little is known about the safety and efficacy of ICI in this population. Here, we report safety and treatments outcomes in ICI-treated patients with preexisting T1DM.

Methods

This retrospective case-controlled study evaluated adult patients with T1DM who received ICI therapy for solid malignancies from 2015 to 2021 at four academic medical centers. Patients with prior ICI therapy, bone marrow transplantation, or pregnancy were excluded. We collected data on demographics, cancer diagnosis and treatment, IRAE incidence and severity, and diabetes management. Controls were matched 2:1 by age, sex, cancer diagnosis, and ICI therapy class.

Results

Of 12,142 cancer patients treated with ICI therapy, we identified 11 with a preexisting confirmed diagnosis of T1DM prior to starting ICI therapy. Mean age was 50.6 years, 63.6% were women, and most received anti-PD1/PDL1 monotherapy (10/11) compared with combination therapy (1/11). Grade 3/4 IRAEs were seen in 3/11 subjects with preexisting T1DM and were hepatitis, myositis, and myasthenia gravis. All three cases had interruption of ICI therapy and administration of adjunct therapies, including steroids, IVIG, or mycophenolate mofetil with resolution of the IRAE. The odds of all-grade IRAEs and of severe IRAEs were comparable between cases and controls matched for age, sex, cancer type, and ICI therapy [OR 0.83 (95% CI 0.2-3.56), p = 0.81, and OR 1.69 (0.31-9.36), p = 0.55, respectively]. Overall survival was not different between patients with T1DM and controls (p = 0.54). No patients had hospitalizations for diabetes-related complications during therapy.

Discussion

These data suggest that ICI monotherapy can successfully be used in patients with preexisting T1DM, with IRAE rates comparable with individuals without preexisting T1DM. Larger, prospective studies of these potentially life-saving ICI therapies that include patients with preexisting autoimmunity are warranted.

Recent advances in nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems for melanoma therapy

Background and Purpose

Safe and effective drug delivery is crucial for the treatment of cancer, which is quite impossible to achieve through traditional methods. Among all types of cancer, skin melanoma is known for its aggressive metastasizing ability and an unprecedented higher degree of lethalness, limiting the overall therapeutic efficacy. Here, we focus on the different types of nanomaterials (NMs) and their drug delivery applications against melanoma.

Experimental Approach

All relevant publications, including research papers, reviews, chapters and patents, were assessed using search engines such as Scopus and PubMed, up to the end of August of 2023. The keywords used in the search were: nanomaterials, melanoma, drug delivery routes for melanoma, and nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems (DDS). Most of the publications out of 234 cited in this review are from the last five years.

Key Results

The recent advancement and mechanism of action of various NMs against melanoma, including inorganic metallic and carbon-based NMs, organic polymeric and lipid-based NMs, and cell-derived vesicles are discussed. We also focus on the application of different NMs in the delivery of therapeutic agents for melanoma therapy. In addition, the skin and melanoma, genetic mutation and pathways for melanoma, conventional treatment options, and delivery routes for therapeutic agents are also discussed briefly.

Conclusion

There are few NM-based DDS developed in the lab set up recently. The findings of this review will pave the path for the development of NM-based DDS on an industrial scale and help in the better management of skin melanoma.

Autoimmune PaneLs as PrEdictors of Toxicity in Patients TReated with Immune Checkpoint InhibiTors (ALERT)

BACKGROUND

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can lead to immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in a significant proportion of patients. The mechanisms underlying irAEs development are mostly unknown and might involve multiple immune effectors, such as T cells, B cells and autoantibodies (AutoAb).

METHODS

We used custom autoantigen (AutoAg) microarrays to profile AutoAb related to irAEs in patients receiving ICI. Plasma was collected before and after ICI from cancer patients participating in two clinical trials (NCT03686202, NCT02644369). A one-time collection was obtained from healthy controls for comparison. Custom arrays with 162 autoAg were used to detect IgG and IgM reactivities. Differences of median fluorescent intensity (MFI) were analyzed with Wilcoxon sign rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test. MFI 500 was used as threshold to define autoAb reactivity.

RESULTS

A total of 114 patients and 14 healthy controls were included in this study. irAEs of grade (G) ≥ 2 occurred in 37/114 patients (32%). We observed a greater number of IgG and IgM reactivities in pre-ICI collections from patients versus healthy controls (62 vs 32 p < 0.001). Patients experiencing irAEs G ≥ 2 demonstrated pre-ICI IgG reactivity to a greater number of AutoAg than patients who did not develop irAEs (39 vs 33 p = 0.040). We observed post-treatment increase of IgM reactivities in subjects experiencing irAEs G ≥ 2 (29 vs 35, p = 0.021) and a decrease of IgG levels after steroids (38 vs 28, p = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these results support the potential role of autoAb in irAEs etiology and evolution. A prospective study is ongoing to validate our findings (NCT04107311).

Musculoskeletal adverse events induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: a large-scale pharmacovigilance study

Background: The musculoskeletal toxicity of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is receiving increasing attention with clinical experience. Nevertheless, the absence of a systematic investigation into the musculoskeletal toxicity profile of ICIs currently results in the under-recognition of associated adverse events. Further and more comprehensive investigations are warranted to delineate the musculoskeletal toxicity profile of ICIs and characterize these adverse events. Material and methods: The present study employed the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database to collect adverse events between January 2010 and March 2021. We utilized both the reporting odds ratio and the Bayesian confidence propagation neural network algorithms to identify suspected musculoskeletal adverse events induced by ICIs. Subsequently, the clinical characteristics and comorbidities of the major musculoskeletal adverse events were analyzed. The risk of causing these events with combination therapy versus monotherapy was compared using logistic regression model and Ω shrinkage measure model. Results: The musculoskeletal toxicity induced by ICIs primarily involves muscle tissue, including neuromuscular junctions, fascia, tendons, and tendon sheaths, as well as joints, spine, and bones, including cartilage. The toxicity profile of PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors varies, wherein the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab exhibits a heightened overall risk of inducing musculoskeletal adverse events. The major ICIs-induce musculoskeletal adverse events, encompassing conditions such as myositis, neuromyopathy (including myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy), arthritis, fractures, myelitis, spinal stenosis, Sjogren's syndrome, fasciitis, tenosynovitis, rhabdomyolysis, rheumatoid myalgia, and chondrocalcinosis. Our study provides clinical characteristics and comorbidities of the major ICIs-induced musculoskeletal adverse events. Furthermore, the combination therapy of nivolumab and ipilimumab does not result in a statistically significant escalation of the risk associated with the major musculoskeletal adverse events. Conclusion: Immune checkpoint inhibitors administration triggers a range of musculoskeletal adverse events, warranting the optimization of their management during clinical practice.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced (Type 3) Autoimmune Pancreatitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized cancer care and work primarily by blocking CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4), and/or PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1), and/or PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1), thereby providing highly efficacious anti-tumor activity. However, this unmitigated immune response can also trigger immune related adverse events (irAEs) in multiple organs, with pancreatic irAEs (now referred to as type 3 Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) being infrequent.

RECENT FINDINGS

Type 3 AIP is a drug-induced, immune mediated progressive inflammatory disease of the pancreas that may have variable clinical presentations viz., an asymptomatic pancreatic enzyme elevation, incidental imaging evidence of pancreatitis, painful pancreatitis, or any combination of these subtypes. Management is largely supportive with intravenous fluid hydration, pain control and holding the inciting medication. Steroids have not been shown to demonstrate a clear benefit in acute management. A rapid development pancreatic atrophy is observed on imaging as early as 1 year post initial injury. Type 3 AIP is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pancreas that though predominantly asymptomatic and mild in severity can lead to rapid organ volume loss regardless of type of clinical presentation and despite steroid therapy.

De novo priming: driver of immunotherapy responses or epiphenomenon?

The introduction of immunotherapy, in particular immune checkpoint inhibition, has revolutionised the treatment of a range of tumours; however, only a minority of patients respond to these therapies. Understanding the mechanisms by which different immune checkpoint inhibitors work will be critical for both predicting patients who will respond and to developing rational combination therapies to extend these benefits further. The initiation and maintenance of anti-tumour T cell responses is a complicated process split between both the tumour microenvironment and the tumour draining lymph node. As understanding of this process has increased, it has become apparent that immune checkpoint inhibitors can act both within the tumour and in the draining lymph node and that they can target both already activated T cells as well as stimulating the priming of novel T cell clones. Currently, it seems likely that immune checkpoint inhibition acts both within the tumour and in the tumour draining lymph node both reinvigorating existing clones and driving further de novo priming of novel clones. The relative contributions of these sites and targets may depend on the type of model being used and the timeline of the response. Shorter models emphasise the effect of reinvigoration in the absence of recruitment of new clones but studies spanning longer time periods examining T cell clones in patients demonstrate clonal replacement. Ultimately, further work is needed to determine which of the diverse effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors are the fundamental drivers of anti-tumour responses in patients.

Adverse event costs associated with first-line therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the United States: An analysis of clinical trials of immune checkpoint inhibitors

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and atezolizumab, have demonstrated substantial survival benefits in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, there is limited evidence on their relative safety profiles and adverse event (AE)-related cost burden. OBJECTIVE: To compare the AE management costs of nivolumab plus ipilimumab with and without limited chemotherapy with those of chemotherapy, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, and atezolizumab plus chemotherapy in a first-line setting among patients with advanced NSCLC. METHODS: The mean per-patient AE costs were estimated using the incidence of all-cause grade 3/4 AEs with any-grade incidence greater than or equal to 15% and the corresponding costs of AE management in the inpatient setting. AE rates were obtained from individual patient data from the CheckMate 227 and CheckMate 9LA trials for nivolumab plus ipilimumab with/without limited chemotherapy and aggregated data from the KEYNOTE-189 and KEYNOTE-407 trials for pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy and the IMpower130 trial for atezolizumab plus chemotherapy. AE management costs from the third-party payer perspective were estimated based on inpatient medical costs from the 2016 United States Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample. All costs were inflated to 2020 US dollars. RESULTS: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab and nivolumab plus ipilimumab plus limited chemotherapy were associated with lower per-patient grade 3/4 AE costs compared with chemotherapy ($1,708 and $624 lower over the treatment course, respectively). Compared with pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, nivolumab plus ipilimumab was associated with lower grade 3/4 AE costs in patients with nonsquamous histology (difference: -$4,866) and squamous histology (difference: -$3,795), and nivolumab plus ipilimumab with limited chemotherapy also had lower AE costs for both nonsquamous (difference: -$2,800) and squamous (difference: -$2,753) disease. Similarly, nivolumab plus ipilimumab and nivolumab plus ipilimumab plus limited chemotherapy were also associated with lower AE costs ($11,400 and $8,809 lower, respectively) compared with atezolizumab plus chemotherapy among patients with nonsquamous disease. In particular, nivolumab plus ipilimumab without or with limited chemotherapy were associated with much lower AE costs of hematological AEs compared with chemotherapy and other immune checkpoint inhibitor-based treatments in combination with a full course of chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab with/without limited chemotherapy was associated with lower AE management costs compared with chemotherapy, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy, and atezolizumab plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC. The AE cost benefits were largely driven by the lower cost burden for hematological AEs for nivolumab plus ipilimumab with/without limited chemotherapy. DISCLOSURES This study was supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb. The sponsor was involved in all aspects of the work and in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Dr Stenehjem has received consulting fees from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Dr Lubinga was an employee of Bristol-Myers Squibb at the time of the study's conduct and holds stock/options. Drs Betts and Wu are employees of Analysis Group, Inc., a consulting company that has received funding from Bristol-Myers Squibb for this research.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Hemorrhagic Gastritis

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been increasingly used in the treatment of several malignancies and may target cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4, programmed cell death-1, and programmed cell death ligand 1, which work on maintaining peripheral immune tolerance. ICIs inhibit these ligands causing an immune-enhancing effect, leading to a wide spectrum of complications from mild mucositis to life-threatening pneumonitis or hepatitis. These complications are collectively called immune-related adverse events. Their prevalence has increased with a rise in ICI use, with rare manifestations being reported in popular literature. We present a case of hemorrhagic gastritis due to the anti-programmed cell death-1 antibody, pembrolizumab.

Rituximab in steroid-refractory immune-related pancreatitis: a case report

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for treating several types of cancer is increasing, but they may be associated with immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Pancreatitis is a rare irAE, mostly responsive to steroid treatment. There are no published data on the management of steroid-refractory ICI-induced pancreatitis. Rituximab has shown efficacy in the setting of relapsing non-ICI-induced autoimmune pancreatitis. However, its use has not been tested for treating immunotherapy-related pancreatitis. Here, we present the case of a patient with steroid-refractory immune-related pancreatitis successfully treated with rituximab as a potential strategy for irAE management.

Corticosteroids and Cancer Immunotherapy

Despite revolutionizing cancer management, immunotherapies dysregulate the immune system, leading to immune-mediated adverse events. These common and potentially dangerous toxicities are often treated with corticosteroids, which are among the most prescribed drugs in oncology for a wide range of cancer and noncancer indications. While steroids exert several mechanisms to reduce immune activity, immunotherapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), are designed to enhance the immune system's inherent antitumor activity. Because ICI requires an intact and robust immune response, the immunosuppressive properties of steroids have led to a widespread concern that they may interfere with antitumor responses. However, the existing data of the effect of systemic steroids on immunotherapy efficacy remain somewhat conflicted and unclear. To inform clinical decision-making and improve outcomes, we review the impact of steroids on antitumor immunity, recent advances in the knowledge of their impact on ICI efficacy in unique populations and settings, associated precautions, and steroid-sparing treatment approaches.

Evaluation of Prognostic Factors for Unresectable or Recurrent Gastric Cancer Treated with Nivolumab

PURPOSE

Nivolumab is useful for the treatment of unresectable/recurrent gastric cancer as third-line or later chemotherapy. However, the factors that predict the efficacy of nivolumab monotherapy remain unclear.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied the predictive factors of response in 59 consecutive patients treated with nivolumab as third-line or later chemotherapy for unresectable/recurrent gastric cancer at our hospital from October 2017 to May 2020.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 5.9 months. The study included 45 men and 14 women (median age: 71 years). We observed that 7 patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 and 52 patients had a performance status of 1-2. Forty-three patients were treated with third-line therapy, seven with fourth-line therapy, and three with fifth-line therapy. The response rate to nivolumab was 6.7% and disease control rate was 35.5%. There were 19 (32.2%) immune-related adverse events for all grades and 9 (15.2%) for grades 3 and 4. Progression-free survival was 1.90 months, and overall survival was 6.30 months. Patients with immune-related adverse events had significantly longer overall survival than those without immune-related adverse events. Multivariate analysis showed that the occurrence of immune-related adverse events and a ratio for neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio after 8 weeks of nivolumab treatment to the baseline neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio before treatment of ≤ 1.5 were independent prognostic factors for overall survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Occurrence of immune-related adverse events and changes in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio during nivolumab treatment may help predict the therapeutic efficacy of nivolumab monotherapy for unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer.

Metastatic lymph node targeted CTLA4 blockade: a potent intervention for local and distant metastases with minimal ICI-induced pneumonia

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) elicits a strong and durable therapeutic response, but its application is limited by disparate responses and its associated immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Previously, in a murine model of lymph node (LN) metastasis, we showed that intranodal administration of chemotherapeutic agents using a lymphatic drug delivery system (LDDS) elicits stronger therapeutic responses in comparison to systemic drug delivery approaches, while minimizing systemic toxicity, due to its improved pharmacokinetic profile at the intended site. Importantly, the LN is a reservoir of immunotherapeutic targets. We therefore hypothesized that metastatic LN-targeted ICB can amplify anti-tumor response and uncouple it from ICB-induced irAEs.

METHODS

To test our hypothesis, models of LN and distant metastases were established with luciferase expressing LM8 cells in MXH10/Mo-lpr/lpr mice, a recombinant inbred strain of mice capable of recapitulating ICB-induced interstitial pneumonia. This model was used to interrogate ICB-associated therapeutic response and immune related adverse events (irAEs) by in vivo imaging, high-frequency ultrasound imaging and histopathology. qPCR and flowcytometry were utilized to uncover the mediators of anti-tumor immunity.

RESULTS

Tumor-bearing LN (tbLN)-directed CTLA4 blockade generated robust anti-tumor response against local and systemic metastases, thereby improving survival. The anti-tumor effects were accompanied by an upregulation of effector CD8T cells in the tumor-microenvironment and periphery. In comparison, non-specific CTLA4 blockade was found to elicit weaker anti-tumor effect and exacerbated ICI-induced irAEs, especially interstitial pneumonia. Together these data highlight the importance of tbLN-targeted checkpoint blockade for efficacious response.

CONCLUSIONS

Intranodal delivery of immune checkpoint inhibitors to metastatic LN can potentiate therapeutic response while minimizing irAEs stemming from systemic lowering of immune activation threshold.

Sinomenine hydrochloride bidirectionally inhibits progression of tumor and autoimmune diseases by regulating AMPK pathway

BACKGROUND

Chronic diseases such as tumors and autoimmune disorders are closely linked to metabolism and immunity and require conflicting treatment methods. AMPK can regulate cell growth and inflammation through energy metabolism. Sinomenine is a compound extracted from the traditional Chinese herb sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehd. et Wils. It has been used to treat NSCLC (non-small-cell lung cancer) and RA (rheumatoid arthritis) in some studies, but with limited understanding of its mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the inhibitory effect of sinomenine hydrochloride (SH) on NSCLC and RA and to understand the underlying joint mechanisms.

RESULTS

The results indicate that SH has a cytotoxic effect specifically on tumor cells, but not on normal cells. SH was found to induce cell apoptosis by activating the AMPK-mTOR pathway. Additionally, in autoimmune disease cell models, SH was shown to reduce the growth of RA-FLS cells by inhibiting the phosphorylation of AMPK, while having no effect on normal macrophages. Moreover, in vivo studies also showed that SH could reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 and slow the development of adjuvant arthritis in rats. Furthermore, SH was found to significantly suppress tumor growth in a tumor xenograft experiment in mice.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides new insights into the treatment of tumors and autoimmune diseases by demonstrating that SH can selectively inhibit the growth of NSCLC cells and the progression of RA through activation of the AMPK pathway.

Immunotherapy through the Lens of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Immunotherapy has revolutionised anti-cancer treatment in solid organ malignancies. Specifically, the discovery of CTLA-4 followed by PD-1 in the early 2000s led to the practice-changing clinical development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Patients with lung cancer, including both small cell (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), benefit from the most commonly used form of immunotherapy in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), resulting in increased survival and quality of life. In NSCLC, the benefit of ICIs has now extended from advanced NSCLC to earlier stages of disease, resulting in durable benefits and the even the emergence of the word 'cure' in long term responders. However, not all patients respond to immunotherapy, and few patients achieve long-term survival. Patients may also develop immune-related toxicity, a small percentage of which is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. This review article highlights the various types of immunotherapeutic strategies, their modes of action, and the practice-changing clinical trials that have led to the widespread use of immunotherapy, with a focus on ICIs in NSCLC and the current challenges associated with advancing the field of immunotherapy.

Pathogenesis of autoimmune disease

Autoimmune diseases are a diverse group of conditions characterized by aberrant B cell and T cell reactivity to normal constituents of the host. These diseases occur widely and affect individuals of all ages, especially women. Among these diseases, the most prominent immunological manifestation is the production of autoantibodies, which provide valuable biomarkers for diagnosis, classification and disease activity. Although T cells have a key role in pathogenesis, they are technically more difficult to assay. In general, autoimmune disease results from an interplay between a genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Genetic predisposition to autoimmunity is complex and can involve multiple genes that regulate the function of immune cell populations. Less frequently, autoimmunity can result from single-gene mutations that affect key regulatory pathways. Infection seems to be a common trigger for autoimmune disease, although the microbiota can also influence pathogenesis. As shown in seminal studies, patients may express autoantibodies many years before the appearance of clinical or laboratory signs of disease - a period called pre-clinical autoimmunity. Monitoring autoantibody expression in at-risk populations may therefore enable early detection and the initiation of therapy to prevent or attenuate tissue damage. Autoimmunity may not be static, however, and remission can be achieved by some patients treated with current agents.

Expansion of Disease Specific Cardiac Macrophages in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Myocarditis

Background

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), antibodies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA4 have revolutionized cancer management but are associated with devastating immune-related adverse events (irAEs) including myocarditis. The main risk factor for ICI myocarditis is the use of combination PD-1 and CTLA4 inhibition. ICI-myocarditis is often fulminant and is pathologically characterized by myocardial infiltration of T lymphocytes and macrophages. While much has been learned regarding the role of T-cells in ICI-myocarditis, little is understood regarding the identity, transcriptional diversity, and functions of infiltrating macrophages.

Methods

We employed an established murine ICI myocarditis model ( Ctla4 +/- Pdcd1 -/- mice) to explore the cardiac immune landscape using single-cell RNA-sequencing, immunostaining, flow cytometry, in situ RNA hybridization and molecular imaging and antibody neutralization studies.

Results

We observed marked increases in CCR2 + monocyte-derived macrophages and CD8 + T-cells in this model. The macrophage compartment was heterogeneous and displayed marked enrichment in an inflammatory CCR2 + subpopulation highly expressing Cxcl9 , Cxcl10 , Gbp2b , and Fcgr4 that originated from CCR2 + monocytes. Importantly, a similar macrophage population expressing CXCL9 , CXCL10 , and CD16α (human homologue of mouse FcgR4) was found selectively expanded in patients with ICI myocarditis compared to other forms of heart failure and myocarditis. In silico prediction of cell-cell communication suggested interactions between T-cells and Cxcl9 + Cxcl10 + macrophages via IFN-γ and CXCR3 signaling pathways. Depleting CD8 + T-cells, macrophages, and blockade of IFN-γ signaling blunted the expansion of Cxcl9 + Cxcl10 + macrophages in the heart and attenuated myocarditis suggesting that this interaction was necessary for disease pathogenesis.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate that ICI-myocarditis is associated with the expansion of a specific population of IFN-γ induced inflammatory macrophages and suggest the possibility that IFN-γ blockade may be considered as a treatment option for this devastating condition.

Nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy in cancer: Current evidence to date

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer immunotherapy, yielding significant antitumor responses across multiple cancer types. Combination ICI therapy with anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies outperforms either antibody alone in terms of clinical efficacy. As a consequence, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) plus nivolumab (anti-PD-1) as the first-ever approved therapies for combined ICI in patients with metastatic melanoma. Despite the success of ICIs, treatment with checkpoint inhibitor combinations poses significant clinical challenges, such as increased rates of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and drug resistance. Thus, identifying optimal prognostic biomarkers could help to monitor the safety and efficacy of ICIs and identify patients who may benefit the most from these treatments. In this review, we will first go over the fundamentals of the CTLA-4 and PD-1 pathways, as well as the mechanisms of ICI resistance. The results of clinical findings that evaluated the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab are then summarized to support future research in the field of combination therapy. Finally, the irAEs associated with combined ICI therapy, as well as the underlying biomarkers involved in their management, are discussed.

B cells in the tumor microenvironment: Multi-faceted organizers, regulators, and effectors of anti-tumor immunity

Our understanding of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is rapidly expanding beyond T cell-centric perspectives to include B cells and plasma cells, collectively referred to as TIL-Bs. In many cancers, TIL-Bs carry strong prognostic significance and are emerging as key predictors of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. TIL-Bs can perform multiple functions, including antigen presentation and antibody production, which allow them to focus immune responses on cognate antigen to support both T cell responses and innate mechanisms involving complement, macrophages, and natural killer cells. In the stroma of the most immunologically "hot" tumors, TIL-Bs are prominent components of tertiary lymphoid structures, which resemble lymph nodes structurally and functionally. Additionally, TIL-Bs participate in a variety of other lympho-myeloid aggregates and engage in dynamic interactions with the tumor stroma. Here, we summarize our current understanding of TIL-Bs in human cancer, highlighting the compelling therapeutic opportunities offered by their unique tumor recognition and effector mechanisms.

Gastritis as an immunotherapy-related toxicity in the treatment of endometrial cancer: a case report

Gastritis related to immunotherapy use is a less commonly reported adverse effect. With increasing use of immunotherapy agents in the management of patients with endometrial cancer, even rare adverse effects are being seen more frequently in gynecologic oncology practice. A 66-year-old with recurrent mismatch repair deficient endometrial cancer was treated with single-agent pembrolizumab. She initially appeared to tolerate treatment well; however after 16 months of therapy she began to develop nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain that resulted in 30-pound weight loss. Pembrolizumab was held out of concern for immunotherapy related toxicity. She underwent evaluation with gastroenterology including esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with biopsy that demonstrated severe lymphocytic gastritis. She was treated with IV methylprednisolone with improvement in symptoms over three days. She was then transitioned to oral prednisone at 60 mg daily with weekly taper by 10 mg, with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and carafate until resolution of symptoms. She subsequently had a follow up EGD with biopsy, which demonstrated resolving gastritis. She is presently doing well off of steroids with stable disease noted on her last scan after cessation of pembrolizumab.

Immune signatures predict development of autoimmune toxicity in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are among the most promising treatment options for melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While ICIs can induce effective anti-tumor responses, they may also drive serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Identifying biomarkers to predict which patients will suffer from irAEs would enable more accurate clinical risk-benefit analysis for ICI treatment and may also shed light on common or distinct mechanisms underpinning treatment success and irAEs.

METHODS

In this prospective multi-center study, we combined a multi-omics approach including unbiased single-cell profiling of over 300 peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples and high-throughput proteomics analysis of over 500 serum samples to characterize the systemic immune compartment of patients with melanoma or NSCLC before and during treatment with ICIs.

FINDINGS

When we combined the parameters obtained from the multi-omics profiling of patient blood and serum, we identified potential predictive biomarkers for ICI-induced irAEs. Specifically, an early increase in CXCL9/CXCL10/CXCL11 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) 1 to 2 weeks after the start of therapy are likely indicators of heightened risk of developing irAEs. In addition, an early expansion of Ki-67⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and Ki-67⁺ CD8⁺ T cells is also likely to be associated with increased risk of irAEs.

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that the combination of these cellular and proteomic biomarkers may help to predict which patients are likely to benefit most from ICI therapy and those requiring intensive monitoring for irAEs.

FUNDING

This work was primarily funded by the European Research Council, the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Swiss Cancer League, and the Forschungsförderung of the Kantonsspital St. Gallen.

A Novel Workflow to Create a Checkpoint Inhibitor Pneumonitis Patient Registry

Background Despite being a groundbreaking cancer therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can lead to potentially life-threatening toxicity with checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP). While treatable, it is easy for clinicians to miss the symptoms of CIP, which can lead to a delay in diagnosis and worsening respiratory function. There is no consensus approach to systematically identifying patients at risk of developing CIP. Thus, we sought to create a workflow that could inform patient selection for ICI therapy based on previously reported risk factors for CIP development. Materials and methods We retrospectively identified 250 patients with lung cancer treated with at least one dose of an ICI over 20 months. Data were collected on comorbidities, cancer type and stage, performance status, ICI cycles, biomarkers, prior curative treatment, diagnostic evaluation, antibiotics, steroids, progression, and survival. A single-blinded radiologist characterized radiographic patterns of suspected CIP cases. Results Among 97 patients who received steroids while admitted to the hospital, 12 (6%) had at least one sign or symptom suggestive of CIP. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and non-small cell lung cancer subtypes correlated with suspicion of having CIP. CIP was confirmed in five patients (42%) and ruled out (mimics) in seven (58%). Median times until symptoms were 17 months and one month for confirmed and mimic cases, respectively. The median time to confirm or exclude CIP was 5 ± 4 days. Most suspected cases underwent thoracic imaging, blood cultures, and empiric antibiotics. Radiographic patterns in suspected cases included ground glass opacities, organizing pneumonia, acute interstitial pneumonia/acute respiratory distress syndrome, bronchiolitis, radiation recall pneumonitis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and post-radiation fibrotic changes. Conclusions CIP mimics are common in clinical practice; therefore, it is reasonable to empirically treat suspected cases with shorter courses of steroids until diagnostic clarity is achieved. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that this novel workflow can identify the true incidence of CIP, inform treatment decisions, and lead to the development of implementation studies to improve patient care directly.

Risk of diabetes mellitus among users of immune checkpoint inhibitors: A population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly established cancer therapeutics, but they are associated with new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM). Such risks have not been adequately quantified, and between-class and -sex differences remain unexplored.

METHODS

This was a prospective cohort study of cancer patients receiving any ICI in Hong Kong between 2013 and 2021. Patients with known DM were excluded. Due to few patients using other ICIs, only programmed cell death 1 inhibitors (PD-1i) and programmed death ligand 1 inhibitors (PD-L1i) were compared, alongside between-sex comparison. When comparing PD-1i against PD-L1i, patients with the use of other ICIs or both PD-1i and PD-L1 were further excluded. Inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to minimize between-group covariate imbalances.

RESULTS

Altogether, 3375 patients were analyzed (65.2% males, median age 62.2 [interquartile range 53.8-69.5] years old). Over a median follow-up of 1.0 [0.4-2.4] years, new-onset DM occurred in 457 patients (13.5%), with a 3-year risk of 14.5% [95% confidence interval 13.3%, 15.8%]. IPTW achieve acceptable covariate balance between sexes, and between PD-1i (N = 622) and PD-L1i (N = 2426) users. Males had significantly higher risk of new-onset DM (hazard ratio 1.35 [1.09, 1.67], p = 0.006), while PD-1i and PD-L1i users did not have significantly different risks (hazard ratio vs PD-L1i 0.81 [0.59, 1.11], p = 0.182). These were consistent in those with at least 1 year of follow-up, and on competing risk regression.

CONCLUSION

Users of ICI may have a substantial risk of new-onset DM, which may be higher in males but did not differ between PD-1i and PD-L1i.

Checkpoint inhibitor immune-related adverse events: A focused review on autoantibodies and B cells as biomarkers, advancements and future possibilities

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has evolved rapidly with unprecedented treatment benefits being obtained for cancer patients, including improved patient survival. However, over half of the patients experience immune related adverse events (irAEs) or toxicities, which can be fatal, affect the quality of life of patients and potentially cause treatment interruption or cessation. Complications from these toxicities can also cause long term irreversible organ damage and other chronic health conditions. Toxicities can occur in various organ systems, with common observations in the skin, rheumatologic, gastrointestinal, hepatic, endocrine system and the lungs. These are not only challenging to manage but also difficult to detect during the early stages of treatment. Currently, no biomarker exists to predict which patients are likely to develop toxicities from ICI therapy and efforts to identify robust biomarkers are ongoing. B cells and antibodies against autologous antigens (autoantibodies) have shown promise and are emerging as markers to predict the development of irAEs in cancer patients. In this review, we discuss the interplay between ICIs and toxicities in cancer patients, insights into the underlying mechanisms of irAEs, and the involvement of the humoral immune response, particularly by B cells and autoantibodies in irAE development. We also provide an appraisal of the progress, key empirical results and advances in B cell and autoantibody research as biomarkers for predicting irAEs. We conclude the review by outlining the challenges and steps required for their potential clinical application in the future.

Late‑onset immune checkpoint inhibitor‑related pneumonitis after cessation of sintilimab: A case report and literature review

Immune-related adverse events following treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can occur at any time during therapy, with onset occurring most frequently during the first 3 months of treatment. However, they rarely occur after treatment cessation. An awareness of delayed immune-related events following the termination of immunotherapy is paramount for optimal tumour management. The present study reports a case of a 69-year-old male patient with right lung adenocarcinoma. He suffered from psoriasis for ~40 years and was suspected of developing immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP) 6 months after the cessation of treatment with the anti-programmed cell death-1 receptor antibody sintilimab. The present case study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of late-onset CIP after the cessation of sintilimab. Subsequently, the report also reviews previously reported cases of late-onset CIP after the cessation of ICI treatment. The present report highlights the finding that CIP can develop, although rarely reported, months or even years after the termination of immunotherapy. Therefore, CIP should always be considered as one of the possibilities and addressed accordingly once the pulmonary infection is ruled out. Careful monitoring, timely diagnosis and administration of corticosteroids are essential in controlling this condition, particularly for patients with pre-existing autoimmune diseases.

Eosinophil and IFN-γ associated with immune-related adverse events as prognostic markers in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with immunotherapy

Objectives

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) alone or combined with other antitumor agents are largely used in lung cancer patients, which show both positive effects and side effects in particular subjects. Our study aims to identify biomarkers that can predict response to immunotherapy or risk of side effects, which may help us play a positive role and minimize the risk of adverse effects in clinical practice.

Methods

We retrospectively collected data from patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with ICIs at our center. Patients who received initial ICI therapy for >1 year without progression of disease were classified as long-term treatment (LT) group, while others were classified as the non-long-term treatment (NLT) group. Multivariate logistic analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors of progression-free survival (PFS) and immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

Results

A total of 83 patients (55.7%) had irAEs. The median PFS for patients in grades 1-2 of irAEs vs. grades 3-4 vs non-irAEs groups was (undefined vs. 12 vs. 8 months; p = 0.0025). The 1-year PFS rate for multisystem vs. single vs. non-irAE groups was 63%, 56%, and 31%, respectively. Signal transduction of inflammatory cytokines improves clinical prognosis through immunomodulatory function, but the benefit is also limited by the resulting organ damage, making it a complex immune balance. Serum biomarkers including EOS% of ≥ 1.15 (HR: 8.30 (95% CI, 2.06 to 33.42); p = 0.003) and IFN-γ of ≥ 3.75 (HR: 5.10 (95% CI, 1.29 to 20.15), p = 0.02) were found to be predictive for irAEs.

Conclusion

EOS% of ≥1.15% and IFN-γ of ≥3.75 ng/L were considered peripheral-blood markers for irAEs and associated with improved clinical outcomes for immunotherapy in patients with advanced NSCLC.

Correlation between immune-related adverse events and treatment efficacy of anti-PD1 immunotherapy in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are associated with improved treatment efficacy in certain types of cancer. In the present study, we assessed the association between irAEs and ICI efficacy. Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who received ICI treatment were stratified into irAEs and non-irAE groups. The objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were used to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of ICIs. Of the 78 ICI-treated ESCC patients, 39 developed irAEs. The median OS and PFS for all patients were 600 and 300 days, respectively. Median OS (P<0.001) and PFS (P<0.001) times of the patients with irAEs were longer than those in the non-irAE group. In addition, the DCR of the irAE group was higher than that of the non-irAE group (P=0.006). Univariate analysis indicated that the non-irAE group was associated with a relatively shorter OS [hazard ratio (HR)=3.687, 95% CI, 1.974-6.888, P<0.001] and PFS (HR=2.967, 95% CI, 1.691-5.204, P<0.001). The multifactorial analysis demonstrated that irAE status was an independent predictor of PFS (HR=3.564, 95% CI, 1.786-7.114, P<0.001) and OS (HR=3.288, 95% CI, 1.636-6.606, P=0.001). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that irAEs could be used to predict improved treatment efficacy in patients with ESCC who received ICI therapy.

Inhibition of NF-κB DNA Binding Suppresses Myeloma Growth via Intracellular Redox and Tumor Microenvironment Modulation

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that is still largely incurable, despite considerable progress in recent years. NF-κB is a well-established therapeutic target in multiple myeloma, but none of the currently available treatment options offer direct, specific pharmacologic targeting of NF-κB transcriptional activity. Thus, we designed a novel direct NF-κB inhibitor (IT848) as a drug candidate with strong potential for clinical translation and conducted comprehensive in vitro and in vivo mechanistic studies in multiple myeloma cell lines, primary multiple myeloma cells, xenograft models, and immunocompetent mouse models of multiple myeloma. Here, we show that IT848 inhibits NF-κB activity through inhibition of DNA binding of all five NF-κB subunits. IT848 treatment of multiple myeloma cell lines and patient samples inhibited proliferation and induced caspase-dependent and independent apoptosis. In addition to direct NF-κB inhibitory effects, IT848 treatment altered the redox homeostasis of multiple myeloma cells through depletion of the reduced glutathione pool, selectively inducing oxidative stress in multiple myeloma but not in healthy cells. Multiple myeloma xenograft studies confirmed the efficacy of IT848 as single agent and in combination with bortezomib. Furthermore, IT848 significantly improved survival when combined with programmed death protein 1 inhibition, and correlative immune studies revealed that this clinical benefit was associated with suppression of regulatory T-cell infiltration of the bone marrow microenvironment. In conclusion, IT848 is a potent direct NF-κB inhibitor and inducer of oxidative stress specifically in tumor cells, displaying significant activity against multiple myeloma cells in vitro and in vivo, both as monotherapy as well as in combination with bortezomib or immune checkpoint blockade.

Nivolumab Hypersensitivity Reactions a Myth or Reality in Solid Tumors-A Systematic Review of the Literature

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the most effective treatments nowadays. Nivolumab was the second ICI used for treating solid tumors with amazing results. Patients treated with Nivolumab may react differently to this treatment. Some people tolerate this treatment very well without experiencing any adverse reactions, whilst some may have mild symptoms and a part of them can present severe reactions. In our research, we sought to identify the answers to four questions: 1. what type of cancer has more severe hypersensitivity reactions to Nivolumab, 2. what is the time frame for developing these severe reactions to Nivolumab, 3. whether it is best to continue or stop the treatment after a severe hypersensitivity reaction to Nivolumab and 4. what severe hypersensitivity reactions are the most frequent reported along Nivolumab treatment. This review also highlights another problem with regard to the usage of concomitant and prior medications or other methods of treatment (e.g., radiation therapy), which can also lead to severe reactions. Treatment with Nivolumab is very well tolerated, but patients should also be warned of the possibility of severe hypersensitivity reactions for which they should urgently see a doctor for a personalized evaluation. There are some options for individuals with severe hypersensitivity reactions, for eg. switching the medication or applying a desensitization protocol.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with cancer: a joint analysis of OnCovid and ESMO-CoCARE registries

BACKGROUND

As management and prevention strategies against COVID-19 evolve, it is still uncertain whether prior exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) affects COVID-19 severity in patients with cancer.

METHODS

In a joint analysis of ICI recipients from OnCovid (NCT04393974) and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) CoCARE registries, we assessed severity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with cancer and explored whether prior immune-related adverse events (irAEs) influenced outcome from COVID-19.

FINDINGS

The study population consisted of 240 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 2020 and February 2022 exposed to ICI within 3 months prior to COVID-19 diagnosis, with a 30-day case fatality rate (CFR₃₀) of 23.6% (95% CI 17.8 to 30.7%). Overall, 42 (17.5%) were fully vaccinated prior to COVID-19 and experienced decreased CFR₃₀ (4.8% vs 28.1%, p=0.0009), hospitalization rate (27.5% vs 63.2%, p<0.0001), requirement of oxygen therapy (15.8% vs 41.5%, p=0.0030), COVID-19 complication rate (11.9% vs 34.6%, p=0.0040), with a reduced need for COVID-19-specific therapy (26.3% vs 57.9%, p=0.0004) compared with unvaccinated patients. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)-fitted multivariable analysis, following a clustered-robust correction for the data source (OnCovid vs ESMO CoCARE), confirmed that vaccinated patients experienced a decreased risk of death at 30 days (adjusted OR, aOR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.69).Overall, 38 patients (15.8%) experienced at least one irAE of any grade at any time prior to COVID-19, at a median time of 3.2 months (range 0.13-48.7) from COVID-19 diagnosis. IrAEs occurred independently of baseline characteristics except for primary tumor (p=0.0373) and were associated with a significantly decreased CFR₃₀ (10.8% vs 26.0%, p=0.0462) additionally confirmed by the IPTW-fitted multivariable analysis (aOR 0.47, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.67). Patients who experienced irAEs also presented a higher median absolute lymphocyte count at COVID-19 (1.4 vs 0.8 10⁹ cells/L, p=0.0098).

CONCLUSION

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination reduces morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 in ICI recipients. History of irAEs might identify patients with pre-existing protection from COVID-19, warranting further investigation of adaptive immune determinants of protection from SARS-CoV-2.

Association between immune-mediated adverse events and efficacy in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with durvalumab and tremelimumab

Purpose

Immune-mediated adverse events (imAEs) may be associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. We assessed the relationship between imAE development and efficacy in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with durvalumab (anti-programmed cell death ligand-1 [PD-L1]) alone or in combination with tremelimumab (anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4).

Methods

The analysis used individual patient-level data from 307 and 310 patients in the monotherapy and combination arms of MYSTIC, respectively. We evaluated the association between treatment efficacy and development of imAEs using univariate and multivariate survival analyses. Using machine learning, we built a predictive model utilizing baseline clinical and laboratory features to identify patients at risk of developing imAEs and further evaluated patient survival based on a threshold index extracted from the model.

Results

Patients who developed any grade of imAE had improved overall survival versus patients without (hazard ratio [HR] 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41–0.62). imAE development was associated with improved overall survival (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.44–0.66) in a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model considering patient demographic features and baseline characteristics. Higher odds of imAE development were observed (odds ratio 3.023; 95% CI: 1.56–5.83) in responders versus non-responders in patients treated with immunotherapy. Based on baseline characteristics, the random forest classification algorithm was used to formulate a predictive model to identify patients at increased risk of developing imAEs during treatment.

Conclusion

Post-hoc exploratory analysis found that the efficacy of immunotherapy was improved in patients who developed on-treatment imAEs. This was independent of severity of imAEs or the need for steroid treatment, which is important in allowing patients to remain on treatment and derive optimal clinical benefit. Further research is warranted to establish the correlation between incidence of imAEs and efficacy in this patient population.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Related to Cardiotoxicity

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have now emerged as a mainstay of treatment for various cancers. Along with development of ICIs, immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) have aroused wide attention. The cardiac irAE, one of the rare but potentially fatal effects, have been reported recently. However, the clinical comprehension of cardiac irAEs remains limited and guidelines are inadequate for cardio-oncologists to tackle the problem. In this review, we have summarized current classifications of, manifestations of, potential mechanisms of, and treatment for ICI-related myocardial injury in order to provide some clues for the understanding of cardiac irAEs in clinical work.

Next-generation immunotherapy for solid tumors: combination immunotherapy with crosstalk blockade of TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1

INTRODUCTION

In solid tumor immunotherapy, less than 20% of patients respond to anti-programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) agents. The role of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) in diverse immunity is well-established; however, systemic blockade of TGFβ is associated with toxicity. Accumulating evidence suggests the role of crosstalk between TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1 pathways.

AREAS COVERED

We focus on TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway crosstalk and the determinant role of TGFβ in the resistance of immune checkpoint blockade. We provide the rationale for combination anti-TGFβ and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapies for solid tumors and discuss the current status of dual blockade therapy in preclinical and clinical studies.

EXPERT OPINION

The heterogeneity of tumor microenvironment across solid tumors complicates patient selection, treatment regimens, and response and toxicity assessment for investigation of dual blockade agents. However, clinical knowledge from single-agent studies provides infrastructure to translate dual blockade therapies. Dual TGFβ and PD-1/PD-L1 blockade results in enhanced T-cell infiltration into tumors, a primary requisite for successful immunotherapy. A bifunctional fusion protein specifically targets TGFβ in the tumor microenvironment, avoiding systemic toxicity, and prevents interaction of PD-1+ cytotoxic cells with PD-L1+ tumor cells.

Adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors for patients with digestive system cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To study the incidence and distribution of adverse events in immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for digestive system cancers and to provide a reference for the safe, rational, and effective use of immune detection site inhibitors.

Methods

We searched for articles published in English between January 1, 2010, and May 18, 2022. All clinical trials of ICI-based therapies for digestive system cancers were investigated, including only randomized controlled trials that reported data on the overall incidence of treatment-related adverse events (trAEs) or immune-related adverse reactions (irAEs) or tables.

Results

We searched 2048 records, of which 21 studies (7108 patients) were eligible for inclusion. The incidence of ICI trAEs of any grade was 82.7% (95% CI 73.9-90.0), and the incidence of grade 3 or higher trAEs was 27.5% (95% CI 21.3-34.1). The pooled rate of ICI irAEs of any grade was 26.3% (95% CI 11.8-44.0), and the incidence of grade 3 or higher irAEs was 9.4% (95% CI 1.1-24.6). In multivariate analysis, the incidence, characteristics, and distribution of AEs varied by cancer type, combination therapy modality (single/two-drug), and different agent types.

Conclusion

Our meta-analysis summarizes AEs associated with ICI in digestive system cancers. The incidence, characteristics, and distribution of AEs vary by cancer type, combination therapy modality, and different agent types. These findings can be considered for the early identification of AEs and provide effective interventions to reduce the severity of these patients. It can provide a clinical reference and may contribute to clinical practice.

Prognostic Signature GXYLT2 Is Correlated with Immune Infiltration in Bladder Cancer

Background

GXYLT2 (glucoside xylosyltransferase 2) was known as an important gene that regulates classical Notch signaling and is involved in progression in human tumors. However, the correlation between GXYLT2 expression and bladder cancer remains unclear.

Methods

GXYLT2 expression was analyzed by ONCOMINE database, GEPIA database, and TIMER database. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized to confirm relationships between GXYLT2 and molecular subtypes of BLCA (bladder cancer). We discovered prognostic value of GXYLT2 in BLCA using GEPIA, LinkedOmics database, and Kaplan-Meier Plotter database. Subsequently, correlations between GXYLT2 and tumor immune infiltration were investigated through TIMER and TISIDB website. We then downloaded data of patients with BLCA from TCGA website, to conduct functional annotations and to construct protein-protein interaction network through STRING and Enrich web servers.

Results

Significant differences were observed between GXYLT2 expression of bladder cancer and normal tissues. GXYLT2 was a poor prognostic biomarker in BLCA with impact on diverse clinical characteristics. We found that GXYLT2 was closely related to tumor immune infiltrated cells and immune genes. Functional annotations indicated that GXYLT2 was linked to immune-related pathways.

Conclusions

The results suggested that GXYLT2 was associated with a poor prognosis and tumor immune cell infiltration of BLCA. GXYLT2 could be a promising therapeutic target in bladder cancer.

Drug-related immune-mediated myelopathies

Iatrogenic immune-mediated inflammatory disorders of the spinal cord are an uncommon but potentially severe complication of drug therapy for several human diseases. Particularly the introduction of novel biological agents in the treatment of systemic inflammatory disorders and cancer immunotherapy have led to a significant increase in immune-related adverse events of the central nervous system (CNS). The use of Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitors in rheumatic and inflammatory bowel diseases has been associated with demyelinating and other inflammatory CNS conditions, including myelitis. The introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of several human malignancies has led to an increase in drug-induced immune-related adverse events including in the CNS. Other drugs that have been associated with immune-mediated myelitis include tyrosine-kinase inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T Cell therapy. A high degree of suspicion is necessary when diagnosing these conditions, as early diagnosis and treatment is crucial in preventing further neurological damage and disability. The treatment of drug-induced inflammatory myelitis typically involves administration of high-dose intravenous corticosteroids, however additional immunosuppressive agents may be required in severe or refractory cases. While most cases are monophasic and remit following discontinuation of the offending agent, chronic immunosuppressive therapy may be indicated in cases with a progressive or relapsing disease course or when a diagnosis of a specific underlying neuro-inflammatory disorder is made. Outcomes are generally favorable, however depend on the specific therapeutic agent used, the clinical presentation and patient factors. In this review we aim to describe the clinical characteristics, imaging findings and management for the most common forms of iatrogenic immune-mediated myelopathies.