Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors-Related Cardiotoxicity

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cardiology
• Immunotherapy

Background:

• Immunotherapy represents a major advance in cancer treatment, offering better tolerance than chemotherapy.
• However, immunotherapy can cause rare but serious side effects, including cardiotoxicity, which requires prompt recognition and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the risks of cardiotoxicity associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
• To emphasize the need for cardiac risk assessment and vigilance in patients undergoing immunotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Review of current understanding of immunotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity.
• Discussion of potential biomarkers and clinical management strategies.

Main Results:

• Cardiotoxicity is a rare but serious adverse event of immunotherapy.
• Combination therapy with anti-CTLA-4/anti-PD-1 agents increases cardiac immune-related adverse events compared to monotherapy.
• Patients with cardiac comorbidities are at higher risk for rapid deterioration and mortality.

Conclusions:

• Baseline cardiac risk assessment and cardiology referral are recommended for all patients starting immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly those with risk factors or cardiovascular history.
• Increased vigilance is necessary for patients with known cardiac comorbidities due to the potential for rapid clinical decline.
• Awareness among cardiologists and oncologists is vital for managing cardiac toxicity from immune checkpoint inhibitors.