Cranial neuropathies related to immune checkpoint inhibitors

Over the last decade, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that function as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been used to treat various types of cancer. ICIs are often more effective than certain types of chemotherapy by reversing the exhaustion of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and NK cells induced by tumor cells to evade the antitumor immune response, acting as a targeted therapy against various cancers, unlike previous chemotherapies. However, under this treatment, patients may experience immune-related adverse events affecting multiple organs and systems, including the nervous system. Thus, we reviewed the cranial nerve involvement as a manifestation of nervous system lesions in patients receiving ICIs for cancer treatment.