Rheumatic complications in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

• Published in: The Korean journal of internal medicine Vol. 34; no. 6; pp. 1197 - 1209
• Main Authors: Lee, Kyung-Ann, Kim, Hae-Rim, Yoon, So Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Association of Internal Medicine 01.11.2019; 대한내과학회
• Subjects: adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological - administration & dosage; arthritis; Humans; immunotherapy; myositis; neoplasms; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Neoplasms - immunology; Prevalence; Review; Rheumatic Diseases - chemically induced; Rheumatic Diseases - epidemiology; Rheumatic Diseases - immunology; Rheumatic Diseases - therapy; Risk Factors; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Escape; Tumor Microenvironment; 내과학; Myositis; Arthritis; Adverse effects; Immunotherapy; Neoplasms
• ISSN: 1226-3303; 2005-6648; 2005-6648
• DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2019.060

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized anticancer therapy due to their long-term clinical benefits and immune boosting mechanisms. However, despite their consistent therapeutic effects, the use of ICIs is associated with a spectrum of adverse events due to their autoimmune and auto-inflammatory actions. These adverse events can affect any organ system, including the endocrine, neurologic, gastrointestinal, cardiac, skin, pulmonary, and musculoskeletal systems. Of the immune-related adverse events (irAEs), rheumatic complications are common and appear to be distinct from irAEs in other organs in terms of variability of onset time, capacity for persistence, and relationship with pre-existing autoimmune rheumatologic diseases. In this article, we review the mechanisms of the anti-cancer effects of ICIs, the irAEs of immuno-oncology drugs, and the general recommendations for managing irAEs. In particular, we focus on rheumatologic irAEs and discuss their prevalence, clinical characteristics, and management.