Practice Changes in Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Immune-Related Adverse Event Management at a Tertiary Care Center.

Understanding of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) has evolved rapidly, and management guidelines are continually updated. We explored temporal changes in checkpoint inhibitor-induced irAE management at a tertiary cancer care center to identify areas for improvement. We conducted a single-center retrospective study of patients who developed a gastrointestinal, pulmonary, renal, or cardiac irAE between July and 1 October in 2019 or 2021. We collected patient demographic and clinical information up to 1 year after toxicity. Endoscopic evaluation and specialty follow-up after discharge for patients with gastrointestinal irAEs declined between the 2019 and 2021 periods. Symptom duration and steroid taper attempts also declined. For pulmonary irAEs, rates of specialty consultation, hospital admission and readmission, and mortality improved in 2021 compared with 2019. Follow-up rates after hospital discharge were consistently low (<50%) in both periods. For cardiac irAEs, consultation with a cardiologist was frequent and prompt in both periods. Outpatient treatment and earlier specialty consultation improved outcomes with gastrointestinal irAEs. Our study exploring irAE practice changes over time identified areas to improve management; specifically, timely specialty consultation was associated with better outcomes for gastrointestinal irAEs. These findings can help improve the quality of management algorithms at our institution and may inform policies in other institutions.

Characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with pre-existing microscopic colitis after exposure to PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors.

PURPOSE: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are frequently associated with adverse events, often affecting the gastrointestinal tract. We conducted this study to determine the characteristics and outcomes of cancer patients with pre-existing microscopic colitis (MC) who underwent ICI treatment. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we identified 10 patients with pre-existing MC who received ICIs at our center 01/2010-06/2020. Clinical characteristics and disease outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Of 124 screened patients with MC before ICI exposure, 10 had sufficient data to be included in the study. Melanoma (40%) and lung cancer (30%) were the most prevalent cancer types, with 70% of stage IV cancer. Patients received either anti-programmed death 1 regimen (8, 80%) or anti-programmed death ligand 1 agent (2, 20%). Six patients (60%) had collagenous colitis, and 4 (40%) had lymphocytic colitis. The median time from MC diagnosis to ICI initiation was 4 years, with 1 patient on budesonide within 2 months of ICI initiation. Eight patients (80%) developed colitis exacerbations after ICI  and required selective immunosuppression. One patient received a compassionate-use fecal transplantation. The median time from ICI to colitis exacerbation was 14 days, with 40% and 50% of patients experiencing grade 3 diarrhea and grade 2 colitis, respectively, leading to hospitalization in 3 patients. Six patients received steroids and vedolizumab with no colitis recurrence. Of 8 patients who had colitis exacerbation, 6 resumed ICI therapy afterward; with 5 receiving concomitant vedolizumab for secondary prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that ICI exposure increases the risk of exacerbation of underlying colitis necessitating and responding to potent immunosuppression therapy.

Characteristics, treatment, and outcome of diverticulitis after immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in patients with malignancies.

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.