Summary
The study highlights that the timing of irAEs depends on the specific immunotherapy and recent treatment history.
This study investigated immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in 795 patients hospitalized after receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, primarily anti-PD-L1, for melanoma and lung cancer. Immunotherapy, while effective, can trigger the immune system to attack healthy tissues. The study found that patients developed irAEs, requiring hospitalization, at varying times. The median time to admission was 2.7 months, but some patients experienced side effects much later.
Certain irAEs, such as those affecting the kidneys and blood, tended to appear later. The timing of irAEs was also linked to the type of immunotherapy used; anti-PD-L1 therapy was associated with later-onset events. Additionally, patients receiving immunotherapy around surgery or who had not recently received treatment were more prone to delayed irAEs.
