Treatment of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Induced Colitis with Infliximab

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Immunotherapy agents targeting T cell immune checkpoints, such as PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4, are crucial in treating various cancers.
• FDA-approved drugs like nivolumab (anti-PD-1) and ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) are widely used but associated with immune-related adverse effects (irAEs).

Observation:

• A 66-year-old female patient developed steroid-resistant colitis following treatment with nivolumab and ipilimumab.
• The patient's condition presented with specific clinical manifestations and a defined course.

Findings:

• Infliximab was administered to manage the steroid-resistant immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis.
• The treatment with infliximab led to the resolution of colitis in this patient.

Implications:

• This case highlights infliximab as a potential therapeutic option for refractory immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced colitis.
• Understanding and managing irAEs is critical for optimizing cancer immunotherapy efficacy and patient safety.