Cardiotoxicity Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: What a Cardio-Oncology Team Should Know and Do

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and neurotoxicity: a focus on diagnosis and management for a multidisciplinary approach

INTRODUCTION

Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, the consequential over activation of the immune system is often complicated by adverse events that can affect several organs and systems, including the nervous system. The precise pathophysiology underlying neurological irAEs (n-irAEs) is not completely known. Around 3.8% of patients receiving anti-CTLA-4 agents, 6.1% of patients receiving anti-PD-1/PD-L1, and 12% of patients receiving combination therapies have n-irAEs. Most n-irAEs are low-grade, while severe toxicities have rarely been reported. in this article, we performed an updated literature search on immuno-related neurotoxicity on main medical research database, from February 2017 to December 2023.

AREAS COVERED

We have also compared the latest national and international guidelines on n-irAEs management with each other in order to better define patient management.

EXPERT OPINION

A multidisciplinary approach appears necessary in the management of oncological patients during immunotherapy. Therefore, in order to better manage these toxicities, we believe that it is essential to collaborate with neurologists specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of n-irAEs, and that a global neurological assessment, both central and peripheral, is necessary before starting immunotherapy, with regular reassessment during treatment.

Evaluation of time-to-onset and outcome of cardiac adverse events related to pembrolizumab using post-marketing surveillance in Japanese patients

BACKGROUND

Pembrolizumab has been widely used in patients since its release, but information on cardiac Adverse Events (AEs) related to pembrolizumab remains lacking, particularly in Japanese populations.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate time to onset, incidence rates, and outcomes for pembrolizumab-induced cardiac AEs in patients with cancer using the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report database.

METHODS

We analysed data for the period from April 2004 to March 2022. Data on cardiac AEs were extracted and relative risks of AEs were estimated using the reporting odds ratio.

RESULTS

We analysed 2,021,907 reports and identified 15,306 reports of AEs caused by pembrolizumab. Of these, 399 cardiac AEs were associated with pembrolizumab. Signals were detected for six cardiac AEs: myocarditis, immune-mediated myocarditis, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, pericarditis, and pericarditis malignant. A histogram of median times to onset showed occurrence from 33 (21-97) days for immune-mediated myocarditis to 138 (67-168) days for pericarditis malignant, but some cases occurred even more than 1 year after the start of administration. Among these, myocarditis was the most frequently reported (27.1%), with fatal cases also reported.

CONCLUSION

This study focused on cardiac AEs caused by pembrolizumab as post-marketing AEs. Patients should be monitored not only at the time of administration, but also over time for signs of these AEs, especially myocarditis, as some patients may have serious outcomes.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated cardiovascular toxicities: A review

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionary effects on therapeutic strategies for multiple malignancies. Their efficacy depends on their ability to reactivate the host immune system to fight cancer cells. However, adverse reactions to ICIs are common and involve several organs, limiting their use in clinical practice. Although the incidence of cardiovascular toxicity is relatively low, it is associated with serious consequences and high mortality rates. The primary cardiovascular toxicities include myocarditis, pericarditis, Takotsubo syndrome, arrhythmia, vasculitis, acute coronary syndrome, and venous thromboembolism. Currently, the mechanism underlying ICI-associated cardiovascular toxicity remains unclear and underexplored. The diagnosis and monitoring of ICI-associated cardiovascular toxicities mainly include the following indicators: symptoms, signs, laboratory examination, electrocardiography, imaging, and pathology. Treatments are based on the grade of cardiovascular toxicity and mainly include drug withdrawal, corticosteroid therapy, immunosuppressants, and conventional cardiac treatment. This review focuses on the incidence, underlying mechanisms, clinical manifestations, diagnoses, and treatment strategies.

The impact of pulmonary artery to ascending aorta diameter ratio progression on the prognosis of NSCLC patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Background

Immunotherapy, represented by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), is a major breakthrough in cancer treatment. Studies have reported that the use of ICIs is associated with an increase in the pulmonary artery to ascending aorta diameter (PAD/AoD) ratio. However, the impact of PAD/AoD ratio progression on the prognosis of patients is unclear.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included patients with stage III or IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with ICIs at the Wuhan Union Hospital between March 1, 2020, and September 1, 2022. The baseline and post-treatment PAD/AoD ratios of patients were evaluated through chest CT scans. The primary outcome of this study was overall survival (OS), while the secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR).

Results

The PAD/AoD ratio increased after the initiation of ICIs (from 0.75 to 0.78; P < 0.001). A total of 441 patients were divided into severe group (n=221) and non-severe group (n=220) according to the median increase of PAD/AoD ratio (1.06). Compared with the non-severe group, the severe group had a lower DCR (87.8% vs. 96.0%, P = 0.005) and ORR (87.5% vs. 96.0%, P = 0.063). Over the entire duration of follow-up (median 22.0 months), 85 (38.5%) patients in the severe group and 30 (7.3%) patients in the non-severe group died. An increased PAD/AoD ratio was associated with shorter PFS (Hazard ratio (HR): 1.48 [95% CI, 1.14 to 1.93]; P = 0.003) and OS (HR: 3.50 [95% CI, 2.30 to 5.30]; P < 0.001). Similar results were obtained across subgroups.

Conclusions

ICI treatment exacerbates an increase in the PAD/AoD ratio in patients with cancer, and greater increase in the PAD/AoD ratio was associated with a worse prognosis. PAD/AoD ratio could be a biomarker to stratify prognosis of NSCLC patients treated with ICIs.

Advances in research on molecular markers in immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) play a crucial role in the immunotherapy of malignant tumors, preventing immune evasion by tumor cells and activating autoimmune cells to eliminate the tumor. Despite their proven effectiveness in antitumor therapy, potential immune-related adverse effects must be recognized, particularly ICI-associated myocarditis (ICIAM). ICIAM is the most lethal form of organ immunotoxicity, with a significant impact on short-term mortality. However, ICIAM is predominantly asymptomatic or mildly nonspecific. It is difficult to diagnose, especially due to the lack of unique molecular markers. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the progress made in identifying molecular markers for ICIAM.

Cardiotoxicity Associated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown significant efficacy in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, melanoma, classical Hodgkin lymphoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, urothelial cancer, and renal cell carcinoma [...].

Coexistence of Anti-PD1-Induced Immune Myocarditis and Complete Atrioventricular Block: A Case Report

The present report describes the late recovery of an emerging complete atrioventricular (AV block) in a patient with immune check point inhibitor-related myocarditis following a period of immunosuppresive therapy. Therefore, decision-making for permanent pacemaker implantation should be implemented after a substantial period of time owing to the potential recovery of bradyarrhythmic complications in similar cases.

Cardiovascular Toxicity of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Guide for Clinicians

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment and care of patients with cancer owing to unique features, including the occurrence of the so-called immune-related adverse events (irAEs). A multidisciplinary team, possibly including a cardio-oncology specialist, is warranted to achieve a favorable patient outcome. Cardiovascular toxicity, especially myocarditis, emerged as a life-threatening irAE in the real-word setting, and the European Society of Cardiology has recently published the first guideline on cardio-oncology to increase awareness and promote a standardized approach to tackle this complex multimodal issue, including diagnostic challenges, assessment, treatment, and surveillance of patients with cancer receiving ICIs. In this article, through a question & answer format made up of case vignettes, we offer a clinically oriented overview on the latest advancements of ICI-related cardiovascular toxicity, focusing on myocarditis and associated irAEs (myositis and myasthenia gravis within the so-called overlap syndrome), with the purpose of assisting clinicians and healthcare professionals in daily clinical practice.