Immune-related adverse events requiring hospitalization in patients with lung cancer: implications and insights

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are associated with a distinct spectrum of toxicities. Data on irAE hospitalization rates and clinical course of patients with thoracic malignancies are lacking.

METHODS

Patients with advanced thoracic malignancy treated with ICI (2/2016 to 6/2021) were retrospectively identified. Demographic and clinical data of confirmed irAE hospitalizations were extracted from the medical record and a descriptive analysis was performed.

RESULTS

From February 2016 to June 2021, 1312 patients with thoracic malignancy received ICI (monotherapy, combination with 2nd ICI or other agents) with 102 patients (7.7%) hospitalized for irAEs. Treatment intent was first-line therapy in most patients (N = 50, 49%) with 9% (n = 9) receiving adjuvant ICI (N = 9). Sixty patients (59%) received ICI alone, 32% (N = 33) chemo plus immunotherapy, and 7% (N = 7) dual ICI. The median age on admission was 68 years. The median time between ICI initiation and admission was 64 days (1-935 days). Pneumonitis (32.3%; 33/102) was the most frequent indication for admission followed by gastroenterocolitis (19.6%; 20/102), hepatitis (12.7%; 13/102), myo/pericarditis (9.8%; 10/102), and endocrinopathies (9.8%; 10/102). Multi-organ toxicity occurred in 36% (N = 37) of patients. Overall, 85.2% (87/102) of patients received systemic corticosteroids and 17.6% (18/102) required additional lines of immunosuppression. The median length of hospitalization stay was 7 days (2-28 days) with a 25.5% (n = 26) readmission rate within 60 days and an 11.8% (n = 12) in house mortality rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe irAE requiring inpatient admission, although infrequent, results in considerable morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization. Pneumonitis was the most common irAE requiring inpatient management in our patient population with a significant risk of mortality despite the use of guideline-directed systemic immunosuppression. This study highlights the continued need for collaborative efforts amongst medical specialties for improving the diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients with irAEs.

Outcomes of High-Grade Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Hepatitis in Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Guidelines recommend hospitalization for severe immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) hepatitis. We compared patient outcomes in the inpatient versus outpatient settings.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of 294 ICI-treated patients who developed grade 3-4 ICI hepatitis. The primary outcome was time to alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization (≤40); secondary outcomes included time to ALT ≤100 U/L and time to death. To account for confounding by indication, inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied to perform Cox regression. A sensitivity analysis was performed excluding patients with grade 4 hepatitis.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-six patients (56.5%) were hospitalized for a median of 6 (interquartile range, 3-11) days. On inverse probability of treatment weighting Cox regression, hospitalization was not associated with time to ALT normalization (hazard ratio [HR], 1.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-1.43; P = .436) or time to ALT ≤100 U/L (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.86-1.43; P = .420). In the sensitivity analysis limited to patients with grade 3 hepatitis, hospitalization was also not associated with time to ALT normalization (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.83-1.50; P = .474) or time to ALT ≤100 U/L (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.90-1.58; P = .225). In a subgroup analysis of 152 patients with melanoma, hospitalization was not associated with reduced risk of all-cause death (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.53-1.64; P = .798). Notably, despite their Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events classification of high-grade hepatitis, 94% of patients had "mild" liver injury based on International Drug-Induced Liver Injury Criteria.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalization of patients with high-grade ICI hepatitis was not associated with faster hepatitis resolution and did not affect mortality. Routine hospitalization may not be necessary in all patients with high-grade ICI hepatitis and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events criteria may overestimate severity of liver injury.

Management of liver and gastrointestinal toxicity induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: Position statement of the AEEH-AEG-SEPD-SEOM-GETECCU

The development of the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is one of the most remarkable achievements in cancer therapy in recent years. However, their exponential use has led to an increase in immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Gastrointestinal and liver events encompass hepatitis, colitis and upper digestive tract symptoms accounting for the most common irAEs, with incidence rates varying from 2% to 40%, the latter in patients undergoing combined ICIs therapy. Based on the current scientific evidence derived from both randomized clinical trials and real-world studies, this statement document provides recommendations on the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the gastrointestinal and hepatic ICI-induced adverse events.

Management of liver and gastrointestinal toxicity induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: Position statement of the AEEH-AEG-SEPD-SEOM-GETECCU

The development of the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is one of the most remarkable achievements in cancer therapy in recent years. However, their exponential use has led to an increase in immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Gastrointestinal and liver events encompass hepatitis, colitis and upper digestive tract symptoms accounting for the most common irAEs, with incidence rates varying from 2 % to 40 %, the latter in patients undergoing combined ICIs therapy. Based on the current scientific evidence derived from both randomized clinical trials and real-world studies, this statement document provides recommendations on the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the gastrointestinal and hepatic ICI-induced adverse events.

Outcomes of weight-based vs. fixed dose of Pembrolizumab among patients with non-small cell lung cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess outcomes among patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received treatment with pembrolizumab on a weight-based dose (WBD) or fixed-dose (FD) regimen using a non-inferiority (NI) analysis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included adult patients with NSCLC weighing under 100 kg who received pembrolizumab between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020. Patients were grouped into either WBD or FD cohort based on the initial pembrolizumab dose and dosing regimen. The primary effectiveness outcome was overall survival (OS), analyzed using NI analysis with a lower margin of 10% comparing WBD to FD. Safety outcomes were all-cause emergency room visits or hospitalizations and incidence of selected immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and analyzed using NI analysis with an upper margin of 10%. All patients were followed until the end of health plan membership, death, or 30 June 2022, whichever occurred first.

RESULTS

A total of 1413 patients were evaluated. OS was observed in 36.6% of the FD group, and 37.7% in the WBD group (rate difference: 1%, 90% CI: -6%-8%, NI p-value < 0.01). NI was met in all three safety outcomes: proportion of all-cause emergency room visits (rate difference: 1.1%, NI p-value < 0.01); proportion of hospitalizations (rate difference: 2%, NI p-value < 0.01); and composite incidence of irAEs (rate difference: -2.2%, NI p-value = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that WBD of pembrolizumab may be as appropriate as FD for the treatment of lung cancer.

Patient-reported outcome (PRO)-based symptom assessment in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving first-line combination immunotherapy: a protocol for a multicenter, prospective, observational study

BACKGROUND

Immunotherapy is currently applied in the first-line treatment regimens for numerous advanced cancers, especially advanced lung cancer. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) resulting from immunotherapy can vary in severity and cause a substantial symptom burden to patients. However, there are limited data on symptom burden in patients with advanced lung cancer following immunotherapy. To address this deficit, this study aims to provide insight into the symptom burden and severity through patient-reported outcome measurements and conduct an analysis of temporal trends and clinical consequences of symptom burden in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving combination immunotherapy.

METHODS

We will prospectively recruit 168 eligible patients from 14 hospitals in China. Eligible patients will be aged ≥ 18 years, pathologically diagnosed with locally advanced or stage IV primary lung cancer without surgical indications, and agreed to receive immunotherapy in combination with other therapies. The primary outcome of this study is the symptom burden of patients during the immunotherapy course. Longitudinal symptom data will be collected using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Lung Cancer module (MDASI-LC) and the symptomatic irAEs scale at baseline (once before treatment) and weekly after treatment, until 1 month after the last treatment cycle has been completed. The trajectory of symptom burden following combination immunotherapy will be depicted, and by linking it to clinical outcomes (the secondary outcome and exploratory outcome of this study), the consequence of symptom burden in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving combination immunotherapy will be examined further.

DISCUSSION

This study intends to establish longitudinal symptom trajectories in patients with lung cancer receiving immunotherapy, and explore its association with clinical outcomes. These findings may serve as an important reference for clinicians in the symptomatic management of patients with lung cancer receiving immunotherapy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2200061540. Registered on June 28, 2022.

Multidisciplinary recommendations for essential baseline functional and laboratory tests to facilitate early diagnosis and management of immune-related adverse events among cancer patients

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have fundamentally changed the treatment landscape of various cancers. While ICI treatments result in improved survival, quality of life and are cost-effective, the majority of patients experience at least one immune-related adverse event (irAE). Many of these side effects cause little discomfort or are asymptomatic; however, irAEs can affect any organ and are potentially life-threatening. Consequently, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of irAEs are critical for optimizing long-term outcomes and quality of life in affected patients. Some irAEs are diagnosed according to typical symptoms, others by abnormal findings from diagnostic tests. While there are various guidelines addressing the management of irAEs, recommendations for the early recognition of irAEs as well as the optimal extent and frequency of laboratory tests are mostly lacking. In clinical practice, blood sampling is usually performed before each ICI administration (i.e., every 2-3 weeks), often for several months, representing a burden for patients as well as health care systems. In this report, we propose essential laboratory and functional tests to improve the early detection and management of irAEs and in cancer patients treated with ICIs. These multidisciplinary expert recommendations regarding essential laboratory and functional tests can be used to identify possible irAEs at an early time point, initiate appropriate interventions to improve patient outcomes, and reduce the burden of blood sampling during ICI treatment.

Association of Immune-Related Adverse Events, Hospitalization, and Therapy Resumption With Survival Among Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Receiving Single-Agent or Combination Immunotherapy

IMPORTANCE

Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) due to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) have been shown to be positively associated with survival. Among patients with metastatic melanoma, evidence supporting this association has been conflicting, while ipilimumab-nivolumab combination ICB has been examined only in small clinical cohorts.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between irAEs and survival among patients with metastatic melanoma, in particular for those receiving combination ICB.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A retrospective cohort of 492 consecutive patients with metastatic melanoma treated with ICB at 2 tertiary and 4 regional cancer centers in Alberta, Canada, from August 1, 2013, to May 31, 2020, was observed. Patients were aged 18 years or older with metastatic melanoma agnostic to primary site, who received 1 or more doses of an anti-programmed cell death protein 1 agent as single or combination ICB. Clinically significant irAEs requiring systemic corticosteroids and/or treatment delay were captured. To minimize immortal time bias, only patients surviving 12 weeks after ICB initiation were included in survival analyses. Statistical analysis was conducted on December 10, 2021.

EXPOSURES

Development of irAEs requiring systemic corticosteroids and/or treatment delay.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), with the association of irAE development with OS assessed via Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. The association of hospitalization for irAEs and ICB resumption after irAE with OS was examined.

RESULTS

Among 492 patients, the median age of those with irAEs was 61.8 years (IQR, 52.9-72.1 years), and the median age of those without irAEs was 65.5 years (IQR, 56.5-76.9 years), while sex distribution was comparable (137 of 198 men [69.2%] with irAEs vs 183 of 294 men [62.2%] without irAEs). There was an association between irAEs and OS both in the overall cohort (with irAEs: median OS, 56.3 months [95% CI, 38.2 months to not evaluable] vs without irAEs: median OS, 18.5 months [95% CI, 14.4-23.2 months]; P < .001) and in the 124 patients (25.2%) receiving combination ICB (with irAEs: median OS, 56.2 months [95% CI, 52.2 months to not evaluable] vs without irAEs: median OS, 19.0 months [95% CI, 6.6 months to not evaluable]; P < .001). Hospitalization for irAE did not alter this positive association with OS compared with outpatient treatment (median OS, not evaluable [95% CI, 31.5 months to not evaluable] vs median OS, 52.2 months [95% CI, 35.2 months to not evaluable]; P = .53), while resumption of ICB was associated with longer OS than not resuming ICB (median, 56.3 months [95% CI, 40.8 months to not evaluable] vs 31.5 months [95% CI, 21.0 months to not evaluable]; P = .009). A favorable independent association of irAEs with OS was confirmed in multivariable analysis (hazard ratio for death, 0.382 [95% CI, 0.254-0.576]; P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This study suggests an association between irAEs and OS for patients with metastatic melanoma, including those treated with combination ICB and those with severe irAEs requiring hospitalization. The potential benefit associated with ICB resumption after irAEs warrants further investigation.

Methods and Study Design for Cancer Health Economics Research: Summary of Discussions From a Breakout Session

The legitimacy of findings from cancer health economics research depends on study design and methods. A breakout session, Methods and Study Design for Cancer Health Economics Research, was convened at the Future of Cancer Health Economics Research Conference to discuss 2 commonly used analytic tools for cancer health economics research: observational studies and decision-analytic modeling. Observational studies include analysis of data collected with the primary purpose of supporting economic evaluation or secondary use of data collected for another purpose. Modeling studies develop a parametrized structure, such as a decision tree, to estimate hypothetical impact. Whereas observational studies focus on what has happened and why, modeling studies address what may happen. We summarize the discussion at this breakout session, focusing on 3 key elements of high-quality cancer health economics research: study design, analytical methods, and addressing uncertainty.

Effect of Immune-Related Adverse Events and Pneumonitis on Prognosis in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The correlation between immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and prognosis remains controversial in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the effect of irAEs, especially checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP), on the survival and treatment response in advanced NSCLC.

METHODS

The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). Databases were searched for relevant studies, and meta-analysis was conducted with RevMan.

RESULTS

A total of 51 studies involving 12,600 participants were included. The development of irAEs had an advantageous effect on OS and ORR in advanced NSCLC (OS: hazard ratio [HR], 0.56 [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46 to 0.67]; ORR: odds ratio [OR], 3.13 [2.41 to 4.06]). The occurrence of endocrine and skin irAEs had advantageous effects on both OS and ORR (endocrine OS, HR, 0.47 [-0.37 to 0.59]; endocrine ORR: OR, 1.90 [1.27 to 2.84]; skin OS: HR, 0.48 [0.38 to 0.61]; skin ORR: OR, 4.30 [2.68 to 6.91]). Severe-grade irAEs resulted in shorter OS than low-grade irAEs (HR, 1.49 [1.06, 2.09]), and multiple irAEs resulted in better ORR compared with 1 irAE (OR, 2.04 [1.41 to 2.94]). The occurrence of CIP had no significant effect on OS (HR, 1.14 [0.70 to 1.86]), but it was associated with better ORR (OR, 2.12 [1.06 to 4.25]). Severe-grade CIP had no effect on OS or ORR, but CIP leading to treatment discontinuation resulted in shorter OS (HR, 2.35 [1.17 to 4.72]).

CONCLUSION

The development of irAEs had advantageous effects on survival and response in advanced NSCLC. CIP had no effect on survival, but it predicted better response.