Retrospective Analysis: S100 as Marker for Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for hematologic malignancies, offering significant therapeutic benefits. However, this therapy is also associated with adverse effects such as cytokine release syndrome and Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS), which can lead to severe neurological symptoms. The pathophysiology of ICANS remains unclear but is believed to involve immune-mediated inflammation in the brain. This study investigates the potential of S100, a protein marker associated with blood-brain barrier integrity, as an early indicator of ICANS.

We retrospectively analyzed daily blood samples for S100 levels in patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy, correlating these levels with the onset and severity of ICANS.

The results show that S100 levels significantly increased in patients who developed ICANS, with a positive correlation between the duration of elevation and the severity of the neurological symptoms.

These findings suggest that S100 may serve as a useful biomarker for early detection of ICANS and could potentially guide therapeutic interventions. However, further studies are needed to fully understand its prognostic value in this context.