Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 17, 2026
05:21
Author Spotlight: Optimizing Antibody-Based Cancer Treatments via Antibody-Dependent, Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity Assay
Published on: September 13, 2024
925
Thyroid dysfunctions secondary to cancer immunotherapy.
P Chalan1, G Di Dalmazi1,2, F Pani1,3
1Division of Immunology, Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Ross Building-Room 656, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
Journal of Endocrinological Investigation
|December 15, 2017
Summary
Cancer immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors, can cause thyroid dysfunction. Patients receiving these treatments require regular monitoring of their thyroid health to detect and manage potential adverse events.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Cancer immunotherapy is a key treatment modality alongside surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy.
- Immunotherapy can lead to immune-related adverse events, including thyroid dysfunction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review immunotherapy types, mechanisms, and their association with thyroid dysfunction.
- To analyze the incidence of thyroid dysfunction across different immunotherapy strategies.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE was conducted.
- Data was collected for articles published up to March 30, 2017.
Main Results:
- Early immunotherapies (cytokines) caused thyroid dysfunction in 1-50% of patients.
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1) are linked to a high risk of thyroid autoimmunity, especially anti-PD-1 and combination therapies.
- Oncolytic viruses, adoptive T-cell transfer, and cancer vaccines rarely cause thyroid dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Monoclonal antibodies targeting immune checkpoints increase the risk of thyroid dysfunction in cancer patients.
- Baseline and periodic assessment of thyroid function is crucial for patients undergoing immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Tumor Immunotherapy
2.0K
Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
2.0K
02:49Cancer Therapies
10.2K
Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
10.2K
01:19Psychoneuroimmunology: Diabetes and Cancer
513
Chronic stress has been linked to both the onset and progression of serious health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes and cancer. Type 2 diabetes, a widespread chronic illness, is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance, both of which often worsen under stress. Studies indicate that men experiencing high levels of chronic stress face a 45% higher risk of developing diabetes compared to those with minimal stress. Stress triggers physiological responses that elevate blood...
513
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
9.0K
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.0K
01:30Cancer Vaccines
1.1K
Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
1.1K
02:17The Tumor Microenvironment
7.9K
Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
7.9K