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Townsend MJ, Benque IJ, Li M, Grover S. Review article: Contemporary management of gastrointestinal, pancreatic and hepatic toxicities of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2024; 59:1350-1365. [PMID: 38590108 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective oncologic agents which frequently cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs) which can impact multiple organ systems. Onco-Gastroenterology is a novel and emerging subspecialty within gastroenterology focused on cancer treatment-related complications. Gastroenterologists must be prepared to identify and manage diverse immune-mediated toxicities including enterocolitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis and other ICI-induced toxicities. AIM To provide a narrative review of the epidemiology, diagnostic evaluation and management of checkpoint inhibitor-induced gastrointestinal and hepatic toxicities. METHODS We searched Cochrane and PubMed databases for articles published through August 2023. RESULTS Gastrointestinal and hepatic irAEs include most commonly enterocolitis and hepatitis, but also pancreatitis, oesophagitis, gastritis, motility disorders (gastroparesis) and other rarer toxicities. Guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, American Society of Clinical Oncology and European Society for Medical Oncology, in combination with emerging cohort and clinical trial data, offer strategies for management of ICI toxicities. Evaluation of irAEs severity by formal classification and clinical stability, and a thorough workup for alternative etiologies which may clinically mimic irAEs underlie initial management. Treatments include corticosteroids, biologics and other immunosuppressive agents plus supportive care; decisions on dosing, timing and choice of steroid adjuncts and potential for subsequent checkpoint inhibitor dosing are nuanced and toxicity-specific. CONCLUSIONS Expanding clinical trial and cohort data have clarified the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of gastrointestinal, pancreatic and hepatic toxicities of ICIs. Guidelines, though valuable, remain based principally on retrospective cohort data. Quality prospective, controlled studies may refine algorithms for treatment and potential immunotherapy rechallenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Townsend
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Hospital, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Isaac J Benque
- University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michael Li
- University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Francisco Medical Center, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Shilpa Grover
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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2
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Mok K, Wu C, Chan S, Wong G, Wong VWS, Ma B, Lui R. Clinical Management of Gastrointestinal and Liver Toxicities of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. Clin Colorectal Cancer 2024; 23:4-13. [PMID: 38172003 DOI: 10.1016/j.clcc.2023.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed the treatment paradigm for various types of cancer. Nonetheless, with the utilization of these groundbreaking treatments, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are increasingly encountered. Colonic and hepatic involvement are among the most frequently encountered irAEs. Drug-induced side effects, infectious causes, and tumor-related symptoms are the key differentials for irAE complications. Potential risk factors for the development of irAEs include combination use of immune checkpoint inhibitors, past development of irAEs with other immunotherapy treatments, certain concomitant drugs, and a pre-existing personal or family history of autoimmune illness such as inflammatory bowel disease. The importance of early recognition, timely and proper management cannot be understated, as there are profound clinical implications on the overall cancer treatment plan and prognosis once these adverse events occur. Herein, we cover the clinical management of the well-established gastrointestinal irAEs of enterocolitis and hepatitis, and also provide an overview of several other emerging entities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Mok
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Claudia Wu
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Institute of Digestive Disease, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Stephen Chan
- State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, Department of Clinical Oncology, Sir YK Pao Centre for Cancer, Hong Kong Cancer Institute, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Grace Wong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Institute of Digestive Disease, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Vincent Wai-Sun Wong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Institute of Digestive Disease, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Brigette Ma
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Institute of Digestive Disease, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Rashid Lui
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Institute of Digestive Disease, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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3
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Barnett JS, Yu KK, Rivera Rivera X, Bhatt A. Severe Dysphagia With Eosinophilic Esophagitis Pattern of Injury Related to Pembrolizumab Therapy. ACG Case Rep J 2024; 11:e01252. [PMID: 38274298 PMCID: PMC10810598 DOI: 10.14309/crj.0000000000001252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
While immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies are effective treatments for many cancers, ICI therapies are associated with immune-related adverse events. We present a 67-year-old man with non-small cell lung carcinoma, who developed severe dysphagia with biopsies from an esophagogastroduodenoscopy showing histopathology consistent with eosinophilic esophagitis while on ICI maintenance therapy with pembrolizumab. The patient's symptoms worsened despite standard therapy. However, he had complete resolution of dysphagia symptoms once pembrolizumab was discontinued. While immune-related adverse events affecting the gastrointestinal system are increasingly recognized, ICI-associated eosinophilic esophagitis is a rare entity.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S. Barnett
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX
| | - Kevin K. Yu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX
| | - Xavier Rivera Rivera
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX
| | - Asmeen Bhatt
- Center for Interventional Gastroenterology at UTHealth (iGUT), Section of Endoluminal Surgery and Interventional Gastroenterology, Division of Elective General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, Houston, TX
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Mitchell JM, Karamchandani DM. Histopathologic Manifestations of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy-Associated Gastrointestinal Tract Injury: A Practical Review. Surg Pathol Clin 2023; 16:703-718. [PMID: 37863561 DOI: 10.1016/j.path.2023.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the management of many advanced cancers by producing robust remissions. They mostly target two immune regulatory pathways: cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 and programmed death-1 or its ligand. However, a flip side is the immune-related adverse events (irAEs) commonly affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that can cause treatment interruptions or discontinuation. This practical review discusses the clinical and histopathologic findings of irAEs encountered in the luminal GI tract, along with histopathologic differentials that can mimic varied inflammatory, infectious, or other medication-associated etiologies and the importance of clinico-pathologic correlation for an accurate diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Michael Mitchell
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA. https://twitter.com/GIJamesMD
| | - Dipti M Karamchandani
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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Amin S, Munankami S, Desai P, Altomare J, Shah N. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Lymphocytic Esophagitis. Cureus 2023; 15:e39920. [PMID: 37409215 PMCID: PMC10317789 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.39920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as effective treatments for a wide variety of advanced malignancies. However, their use is associated with numerous immune-related toxicities, including within the gastrointestinal tract. We present a rare case of checkpoint inhibitor-induced lymphocytic esophagitis. A 79-year-old male with a past medical history significant for metastatic renal clear cell carcinoma on nivolumab presented to the hospital with dysphagia and symptomatic choledocholithiasis. The patient underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for the extraction of stones and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) for dysphagia, which showed esophagitis. Biopsies revealed lymphocytic infiltration of the epithelium, dyskeratotic keratinocytes, and acanthosis, raising suspicion for nivolumab-associated lymphocytic esophagitis. Treatment includes proton pump inhibitors and steroids; however, efficacy is not well described due to the rarity of the condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shefali Amin
- Internal Medicine, Reading Hospital/Tower Health, West Reading, USA
| | | | - Parth Desai
- Gastroenterology, Reading Hospital/Tower Health, West Reading, USA
| | - John Altomare
- Gastroenterology, Reading Hospital/Tower Health, West Reading, USA
| | - Nirav Shah
- Gastroenterology, Reading Hospital/Tower Health, West Reading, USA
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Alruwaii ZI, Montgomery EA. Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Immune-related Adverse Events: A Histopathologic Review. Adv Anat Pathol 2023; 30:230-240. [PMID: 37037419 DOI: 10.1097/pap.0000000000000401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been increasingly used to treat various malignant neoplasms. Despite their superior efficacy in treating certain ones, their global immune-activation effect leads to systemic side effects, referred to as immune-related adverse events. Immune-related adverse events affect a variety of organs, including the skin, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, and endocrine organs. Gastrointestinal tract immune-related adverse events present with a wide range of symptoms with variable severity, which may lead to treatment interruption and administration of immunosuppression therapy in many cases. Histopathologic changes are diverse, overlapping with many other conditions. Therefore, recognizing these changes is crucial in diagnosing immune-related adverse events. This review discusses the pathologic manifestations of gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events and discusses the primary differential diagnoses.
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Boulagnon-Rombi C, Dufour C, Chatelain D. [Drug induced gastro-intestinal tract lesions: A pathologist point of view]. Ann Pathol 2023:S0242-6498(23)00045-7. [PMID: 36868901 DOI: 10.1016/j.annpat.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
The number of drugs available to clinicians, especially targeted therapies, grows continuously. Some drugs are known to cause frequent digestive adverse effects, which may affect the gastro-intestinal tract in a diffuse or localized manner. Some treatments may leave relatively pathognomonic deposits, but histological lesions of iatrogenic origin are mostly non-specific. The diagnostic and etiological approach is often complex because of these non-specific aspects and also because (1) a single type of drug may cause different histological lesions, (2) different drugs may cause identical histological lesions, (3) the patient may receive different drugs, and (4) drug-induced lesions may mimic other pathological entities such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, or graft versus host disease. The diagnosis of iatrogenic gastrointestinal tract injury therefore requires close anatomic-clinical correlation. The iatrogenic origin can only be formally established if the symptomatology improves when the incriminating drug is stopped. This review aims to present the different histological patterns of gastrointestinal tract iatrogenic lesions, the potentially incriminate drugs, as well as the histological signs to look for in order to help the pathologist to distinguish an iatrogenic injury from another pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Boulagnon-Rombi
- Service de pathologie, centre hospitalier universitaire de Reims, 51092 Reims cedex, France; Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, CNRS, MEDyC UMR 7369, 51097 Reims, France.
| | - Charlotte Dufour
- Institut de pathologie, centre de biologie pathologie, centre hospitalier universitaire de Lille, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Denis Chatelain
- Service d'anatomie pathologique du CHU d'Amiens, site Nord, 80080 Amiens, France
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Drug-induced digestive tract injury: decoding some invisible offenders. Hum Pathol 2023; 132:135-148. [PMID: 35714837 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2022.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There is an ever-growing list of pharmacological agents, several of which are attributed to cause clinically significant gastrointestinal (GI) injury. Many patients present with significant but nonspecific symptoms, that in conjunction with the absence of relevant drug history on the requisition slip can make the histopathologic diagnosis challenging. To complicate this, although some drugs have relatively characteristic histopathologic features (such as doxycycline), there exist many other drugs that exhibit wide and varying spectra of histopathologic findings (such as immune checkpoint inhibitors or olmesartan) and have histomorphologic overlap with many other commonly encountered disease entities. This review discusses the histopathologic features of some relatively recently described drugs causing GI tract injury, namely doxycycline, tacrolimus, mycophenolate, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and olmesartan. We also discuss the common mimics in histopathologic differential and some pearls that can help distinguish GI tract injury induced by the aforementioned drugs from its mimics. Awareness of the wide spectra of histopathologic changes associated with these drugs is crucial for practicing pathologists, to avoid misdiagnosis and guiding the clinician for an optimal patient management, which usually involves modifying or discontinuing the offending drug. Needless to say, once a diagnosis of drug-induced injury is suspected, clinicopathologic correlation including corroboration with the drug history is of utmost importance as is the exclusion of dual pathology in these patients.
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Nicolaides S, Boussioutas A. Immune-Related Adverse Events of the Gastrointestinal System. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15030691. [PMID: 36765649 PMCID: PMC9913287 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15030691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are a form of immunotherapy that have revolutionized the treatment of a number of cancers. Specifically, they are antibodies targeted against established and emerging immune checkpoints, such as cytotoxic T-cell antigen 4 (CTLA4), programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and programmed cell death 1 protein (PD-1) on CD8-positive T cells, which promote the destruction of tumor cells. While the immune checkpoint inhibitors are very effective in the treatment of a number of cancers, their use is limited by serious and in some cases life-threatening immune-related adverse events. While these involve many organs, one of the most prevalent serious adverse events is immune checkpoint inhibitor colitis, occurring in a significant proportion of patients treated with this therapy. In this review, we aim to broadly describe the immune-related adverse events known to occur within the gastrointestinal system and the potential role played by the intestinal microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Nicolaides
- Department of Gastroenterology, Western Health, Melbourne, VIC 3011, Australia
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Alfred, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Alex Boussioutas
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Alfred, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3050, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Thomas A, Jayan A, Chang Y, Svetgoff R, Datar S, Memula V, Huang M, Winikka L, Chen J. Pembrolizumab-associated acral necrosis and esophageal necrosis. CURRENT PROBLEMS IN CANCER: CASE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cpccr.2022.100193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Characteristics, treatment, and outcome of diverticulitis after immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in patients with malignancies. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2022:10.1007/s00432-022-04405-3. [PMID: 36242603 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-022-04405-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are efficacious for treating various malignancies. In addition to immune-related adverse events (irAEs), growing evidence suggests that ICIs might also be associated with diverticulitis. We aim to assess the clinical presentations and management of colonic diverticulitis among cancer patients after ICI treatment. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on ICI-treated adult cancer patients between 01/2010 and 06/2020. Patients were grouped based on when diverticulitis developed relative to ICI treatment, either before (controls) or after (cases). Patient clinical characters, treatment, and outcomes were compared between both groups. RESULTS 77 eligible patients were included: 63 patients developed diverticulitis after ICI exposure (46 had initial episode after ICI exposure, 17 had a history of diverticulitis prior then recurred after ICI exposure), and 14 had diverticulitis before ICI exposure. Diverticulitis occurred after a median of 129 days after ICI initiation. Clinical characteristics overlapped with traditional diverticulitis. 93% of patients had symptom resolution after treatment, while 23.8% experienced complications. These patients exhibited higher rates of hospitalization (87% vs 48%, P = 0.015) and surgery/interventional radiology procedures (27% vs 0, P = 0.002), and worse overall survival (P = 0.022). History of diverticulitis was not associated with a more severe disease course. Immunosuppressants (e.g., corticosteroids) were rarely required unless for concurrent ICI-mediated colitis. CONCLUSION Colonic diverticulitis can occur after ICI therapy at very low incidence (0.5%). Its clinical presentation, evaluation, and management are similar to traditional diverticulitis, but associated with higher complication rates requiring surgical intervention and has lower overall survival.
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Alruwaii ZI, Montgomery EA. Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Immune-related Adverse Events: A Histopathologic Review. Adv Anat Pathol 2022; 29:183-193. [PMID: 35470287 DOI: 10.1097/pap.0000000000000346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been increasingly used to treat various malignant neoplasms. Despite their superior efficacy in treating certain ones, their global immune-activation effect leads to systemic side effects, referred to as immune-related adverse events. Immune-related adverse events affect a variety of organs, including the skin, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, and endocrine organs. Gastrointestinal tract immune-related adverse events present with a wide range of symptoms with variable severity, which may lead to treatment interruption and administration of immunosuppression therapy in many cases. Histopathologic changes are diverse, overlapping with many other conditions. Therefore, recognizing these changes is crucial in diagnosing immune-related adverse events. This review discusses the pathologic manifestations of gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events and discusses the primary differential diagnoses.
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