[Management of adverse events associated with cancer immunotherapy]

Management of adverse events associated with cancer immunotherapy The advent of the new anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapies is a revolution in medical oncology. First, their mechanism of action is a real paradigm shift: instead of targeting the tumor cell itself, these treatments seek to overcome immunosuppression induced by the tumor or its microenvironment. By lifting the brakes of the immune system, these immune checkpoints blockers can induce prolonged anti-tumor responses and increase patient survival. These new immunotherapies also have a different toxicity profile compared to conventional anti-cancer treatments, known as immune-related adverse events. They result from the activation of the immune system against normal tissues and can trigger autoimmune diseases. This singular profile of toxicity prompts us to modify our clinical practice.