[Endocrinopathies Associated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly used for advanced cancers.
• ICIs modulate the immune system, potentially causing autoimmune adverse effects.
• Endocrinopathies are common autoimmune side effects of ICI treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review endocrinopathies associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
• To summarize the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of ICI-induced endocrinopathies.

Main Methods:

• Non-systematic review of literature on PubMed up to January 31st, 2020.
• Search terms included "immune checkpoint inhibitor" and various endocrinopathy-related terms.
• Articles were selected for relevance, excluding redundant content.

Main Results:

• Endocrinopathies are reported with all classes of ICIs (anti-CTLA-4, anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1).
• Thyroid dysfunction is the most frequent, particularly with anti-PD-1/anti-PD-L1.
• Hypophysitis is most prevalent with anti-CTLA-4; autoimmune diabetes incidence is rising.

Conclusions:

• Understanding ICI-induced endocrinopathies is crucial due to their high prevalence.
• Awareness of clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment is essential for managing cancer patients on ICIs.