Hypophysitis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors: a 10-year assessment.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Di Dalmazi G
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9278034 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:IntroductionHypophysitis is reported in 8.5%-14% of patients receiving combination immune checkpoint inhibition (cICI) but can be a diagnostic challenge. This study aimed to assess the role of routine diagnostic imaging performed during therapeutic monitoring of combination anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 treatment in the identification of hypophysitis and the relationship of imaging findings to clinical diagnostic criteria.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study identified patients treated with cICI between January 2016 and January 2019 at a quaternary melanoma service. Medical records were reviewed to identify patients with a documented diagnosis of hypophysitis based on clinical criteria. Available structural brain imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) of the brain and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) were assessed retrospectively. The main radiological outcome measures were a relative change in pituitary size or FDG uptake temporally attributed to cICI.ResultsThere were 162 patients (median age 60 years, 30% female) included. A total of 100 and 134 had serial CT/MRI of the brain and FDG-PET/CT, respectively. There were 31 patients who had a documented diagnosis of hypophysitis and an additional 20 who had isolated pituitary imaging findings. The pituitary gland enlargement was mild, and the largest absolute gland size was 13 mm, with a relative increase of 7 mm from baseline. There were no cases of optic chiasm compression. Pituitary enlargement and increased FDG uptake were universally transient. High-dose glucocorticoid treatment for concurrent irAEs prevented assessment of the pituitary-adrenal axis in 90% of patients with isolated imaging findings.ConclusionCareful review of changes in pituitary characteristics on imaging performed for assessment of therapeutic response to iICI may lead to increased identification and more prompt management of cICI-induced hypophysitis.
| S-EPMC10716424 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown promising anti-tumor activities and are widely used for the treatment of advanced cancers. However, they may lead to immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and some of them, such as hypophysitis, can be life-threatening. Here, early diagnosis is critical.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 40 melanoma patients who developed hypophysitis during ICI treatment with either ipilimumab and/or anti-PD1 therapy and compared them to 40 control patients who did not develop hypophysitis during the ICI treatment, matched for age, gender, type of immunotherapy, and stage. Clinical data and blood values such as LDH, CRP, TSH, T3, T4, and absolute immune cell counts were retrieved from the medical records. Patient characteristics, laboratory values, progression-free survival, and overall survival were compared between the two groups.ResultsPatients with ir-hypophysitis had a median age of 59 years, and most of them were male. Clinically, frequent symptoms were fatigue, headache, dizziness, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or abdominal pain. The onset of ir-hypophysitis differed much between ipilimumab- (median 8 weeks) and anti-PD1 (median 40 weeks)-induced hypophysitis (p < 0.001). At baseline, besides a slightly increased CRP level (p = 0.06), no differences were observed in patients who later developed hypophysitis compared to the control. After treatment started, hypophysitis patients showed a constant and significant decline in T4 levels from the start of therapy until diagnosis (p < 0.05), independent of the ICI treatment regime. However, a decline in T3 and TSH was only noted in patients with ipilimumab-induced ir-hypophysitis. Furthermore, serum sodium levels declined rapidly at the diagnosis of hypophysitis (p < 0.001). In addition, there was a constant increase in the absolute counts of eosinophils and lymphocytes from baseline in hypophysitis patients (p < 0.05).ConclusionIr-hypophysitis reveals different clinical pictures and onset times depending on the ICI regime used. Whereas a drop in T4 levels was indicative of developing hypophysitis independent of the ICI regime, TSH levels only declined in patients under ipilimumab-based ICI regimes. To best monitor our patients, it is important to recognize these differences.
| S-EPMC11010823 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ContextHypophysitis is a known immune-related adverse event (irAE) of immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs), commonly associated with CTLA-4 inhibitors and less often with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors.ObjectiveWe aimed to determine clinical, imaging, and HLA characteristics of CPI-induced hypophysitis (CPI-hypophysitis).MethodsWe examined the clinical and biochemical characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pituitary, and association with HLA type in patients with CPI-hypophysitis.ResultsForty-nine patients were identified. Mean age was 61.3 years, 61.2% were men, 81.6% were Caucasian, 38.8% had melanoma, and 44.5% received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy while the remainder received CTLA-4 inhibitor monotherapy or CTLA-4/PD-1 inhibitor combination therapy. A comparison of CTLA-4 inhibitor exposure vs PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy revealed faster time to CPI-hypophysitis (median 84 vs 185 days, P < .01) and abnormal pituitary appearance on MRI (odds ratio 7.00, P = .03). We observed effect modification by sex in the association between CPI type and time to CPI-hypophysitis. In particular, anti-CTLA-4 exposed men had a shorter time to onset than women. MRI changes of the pituitary were most common at the time of hypophysitis diagnosis (55.6% enlarged, 37.0% normal, 7.4% empty or partially empty) but persisted in follow-up (23.8% enlarged, 57.1% normal, 19.1% empty or partially empty). HLA typing was done on 55 subjects; HLA type DQ0602 was over-represented in CPI-hypophysitis relative to the Caucasian American population (39.4% vs 21.5%, P = 0.01) and CPI population.ConclusionThe association of CPI-hypophysitis with HLA DQ0602 suggests a genetic risk for its development. The clinical phenotype of hypophysitis appears heterogenous, with differences in timing of onset, changes in thyroid function tests, MRI changes, and possibly sex related to CPI type. These factors may play an important role in our mechanistic understanding of CPI-hypophysitis.
| S-EPMC9969737 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Data on the diagnosis, natural course and management of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-related hypophysitis (irH) are limited. We propose this study to validate the diagnostic criteria, describe characteristics and hormonal recovery and investigate factors associated with the occurrence and recovery of irH. A retrospective study including patients with suspected irH at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 5/2003 to 8/2017 was conducted. IrH was defined as: (1) ACTH or TSH deficiency plus MRI changes or (2) ACTH and TSH deficiencies plus headache/fatigue in the absence of MRI findings. We found that of 83 patients followed for a median of 1.75 years (range 0.6-3), the proposed criteria used at initial evaluation accurately identified 61/62 (98%) irH cases. In the irH group (n = 62), the most common presentation was headache (60%), fatigue (66%), central hypothyroidism (94%), central adrenal insufficiency (69%) and MRI changes (77%). Compared with non-ipilimumab (ipi) regimens, ipi has a stronger association with irH occurrence (P = 0.004) and a shorter time to irH development (P < 0.01). Thyroid, gonadal and adrenal axis recovery occurred in 24, 58 and 0% patients, respectively. High-dose steroids (HDS) or ICI discontinuation was not associated with hormonal recovery. In the non-irH group (n = 19), one patient had isolated central hypothyroidism and six had isolated central adrenal insufficiency. All remained on hormone therapy at the last follow-up. We propose a strict definition of irH that identifies the vast majority of patients. HDS and ICI discontinuation is not always beneficial. Long-term follow-up to assess recovery is needed.
| S-EPMC8183642 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In recent years, a wide range of cancer immunotherapies have been developed and have become increasingly important in cancer treatment across multiple oncologic diseases. In particular, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offer promising options to improve patient outcomes. However, a major limitation of these treatments consists in the development of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) occurring in potentially any organ system and affecting up to 76% of the patients. The most frequent toxicities involve the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and endocrine system. Although mostly manageable, potentially life-threatening events, particularly due to neuro-, cardiac, and pulmonary toxicity, occur in up to 30% and 55% of the patients treated with ICI-monotherapy or -combination therapy, respectively. Imaging, in particular computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG-PET/CT), plays an important role in the detection and characterization of these irAEs. In some patients, irAEs can even be detected on imaging before the onset of clinical symptoms. In this context, it is particularly important to distinguish irAEs from true disease progression and specific immunotherapy related response patterns, such as pseudoprogression. In addition, there are irAEs which might be easily confused with other pathologies such as infection or metastasis. However, many imaging findings, such as in immune-related pneumonitis, are nonspecific. Thus, accurate diagnosis may be delayed underling the importance for adequate imaging features characterization in the appropriate clinical setting in order to provide timely and efficient patient management. 18F-FDG-PET/CT and radiomics have demonstrated to reliably detect these toxicities and potentially have predictive value for identifying patients at risk of developing irAEs. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the main immunotherapy-related toxicities and discuss their characteristics on imaging.
| S-EPMC9995973 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeWe report a 10-year experience in cancer therapy with concomitant treatment of percutaneous thermal ablation (PTA) and immune checkpoint blockers (ICBs).Material and methodsThis retrospective cohort study included all patients at a single tertiary cancer center who had received ICBs at most 90 days before, or 30 days after, PTA. Feasibility and safety were assessed as the primary outcomes. The procedure-related complications and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were categorized according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0 (CTCAE). Efficacy was evaluated based on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and local progression-free survival (LPFS) according to the indication, ablation modality, neoplasm histology, and ICB type.ResultsBetween 2010 and 2021, 78 patients (57% male; median age: 61 years) were included. The PTA modality was predominantly cryoablation (CA) (61%), followed by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) (31%). PTA indications were the treatment of oligo-persistence (29%), oligo-progression (14%), and palliation of symptomatic lesions or prevention of skeletal-related events (SREs) (56%). Most patients received anti-PD1 ICB monotherapy with pembrolizumab (n = 35) or nivolumab (n = 24). The feasibility was excellent, with all combined treatment performed and completed as planned. Ten patients (13%) experienced procedure-related complications (90% grade 1-2), and 34 patients (44%) experienced an irAE (86% grade 1-2). The only factor statistically associated with better OS and PFS was the ablation indication, favoring oligo-persistence (p = 0.02). Tumor response was suggestive of an abscopal effect in four patients (5%).ConclusionsThe concomitant treatment of PTA and ICBs within 2-4 weeks is feasible and safe for both palliative and local control indications. Overall, PTA outcomes were found to be similar to standards for patients not on ICB therapy. While a consistently reproducible abscopal effect remains elusive, the safety profile of concomitant therapy provides the framework for continued assessment as ICB therapies evolve.
| S-EPMC10931410 | biostudies-literature
Project description:More than 40 years ago, we discovered that novel transplantation antigens can be induced in vivo or in vitro by treating murine leukemia with dacarbazine. Years later, this phenomenon that we called "Chemical Xenogenization" (CX) and more recently, "Drug-Induced Xenogenization" (DIX), was reproduced by Thierry Boon with a mutagenic/carcinogenic compound (i.e. N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine). In both cases, the molecular bases of DIX rely on mutagenesis induced by methyl adducts to oxygen-6 of DNA guanine. In the present review we illustrate the main DIX-related immune-pharmacodynamic properties of triazene compounds of clinical use (i.e. dacarbazine and temozolomide).In recent years, tumor immunotherapy has come back to the stage with the discovery of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICpI) that show an extraordinary immune-enhancing activity. Here we illustrate the salient biochemical features of some of the most interesting ICpI and the up-to-day status of their clinical use. Moreover, we illustrate the literature showing the direct relationship between somatic mutation burden and susceptibility of cancer cells to host's immune responses.When DIX was discovered, we were not able to satisfactorily exploit the possible presence of triazene-induced neoantigens in malignant cells since no device was available to adequately enhance host's immune responses in clinical settings. Today, ICpI show unprecedented efficacy in terms of survival times, especially when elevated mutation load is associated with cancer cells. Therefore, in the future, mutation-dependent neoantigens obtained by appropriate pharmacological intervention appear to disclose a novel approach for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of ICpI in cancer patients.
| S-EPMC5522228 | biostudies-other
Project description:BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a cancer immunotherapy have emerged as a treatment for multiple advanced cancer types. Because of enhanced immune responses, immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including endocrinopathies such as hypophysitis, have been associated with the use of ICIs. Most underlying mechanisms of ICI-related hypophysitis remain unclear, especially for programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors. We hypothesized that ICI-related hypophysitis is associated with paraneoplastic syndrome caused by ectopic expression of pituitary-specific antigens.MethodsTwenty consecutive patients with ICI-related hypophysitis between 2017 and 2019 at Kobe University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Circulating anti-pituitary antibodies were detected using immunofluorescence staining and immunoblotting. Ectopic expression of pituitary autoantigens in tumor specimens was also examined.ResultsEighteen patients were treated with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, and two were treated with a combination of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and PD-1 inhibitors. All patients showed adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency and additionally, three showed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) deficiency, and one showed gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency. Among these patients, three exhibited anti-pituitary antibodies, two with anti-corticotroph antibody and one with anti-somatotroph antibody. Interestingly, the anti-corticotroph antibody recognized proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and those two patients exhibited ectopic ACTH expression in the tumor, while the patients without anti-corticotroph antibody did not.ConclusionsWe demonstrated 10% of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors-related hypophysitis were associated with the autoimmunity against corticotrophs and maybe caused as a form of paraneoplastic syndrome, in which ectopic expression of ACTH in the tumor was observed. It is also suggested that the pathophysiology is heterogenous in ICI-related hypophysitis.
| S-EPMC8571153 | biostudies-literature
Project description:With the increasing use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) including anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) in cancers, ICI-induced type 1 diabetes has been reported throughout the world. In this review, we aim to summarize the characteristics of this disease and discuss the mechanism of it. As an immune-related adverse event, type 1 diabetes developed after the administration of anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in the combination with or without anti-CTLA-4. It usually presented with acute onset, and 62.1% of the reported cases had diabetic ketoacidosis. Only a third of them had positive autoantibodies associated with type 1 diabetes. Susceptible HLA genotypes might be associated. T-cell-stimulation by blocking of the interaction of PD-1 and PD-L1 in pancreatic β cells was the main mechanism involved in the pathology. Insulin was the only effective treatment of ICI-induced type 1 diabetes. In conclusions, ICI-induced type 1 diabetes is a potentially life-threating adverse event after the immunotherapy of cancers. Screening and early recognition is important. Further investigation of the mechanism may help to better understand the pathology of type 1 diabetes.
| S-EPMC7722553 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), and its ligand 1 (PD-L1), have improved the survival in multiple types of cancers; however, ICIs may cause cardiovascular toxicity. Although rare, ICI-mediated cardiotoxicity is an extremely serious complication with a relatively high mortality. In this review, we discuss the underlying mechanism and clinical manifestations of cardiovascular toxicity induced by ICIs. According to previous studies, multiple signaling pathways are involved in myocarditis induced by ICIs. Further, we summarize the clinical trials of drugs for the treatment of ICI-associated myocarditis. Although these drugs have shown the beneficial effects of alleviating cardiac function and reducing mortality rates, their efficacy is not optimal. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of some novel compounds as well as the underlying mechanisms of their action.
| S-EPMC10248045 | biostudies-literature