Among patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, which of the following subtypes of either PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) or CTLA-4 (cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4) is more likely to lead to toxicity including pneumonitis?
PD-1 agents including nivolumab and pembrolizumab are more likely than CTLA-4 agents to lead to CIP (checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis), with and odds ratio of 6.4. Treatment is largely supportive care and may involve immunosuppression with steroid therapy, in conjunction with medical oncology recommendations based on Indvidual patient profile.
Zhu S, Fu Y, Zhu B, Zhang B, Wang J. Pneumonitis Induced by Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: From Clinical Data to Translational Investigation. Front Oncol. 2020 Sep 11;10:1785. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.01785. PMID: 33042827; PMCID: PMC7518129.
Contributed by Joe Kennedy, MD UVM Toxicology