Managing Immune-Related Toxicities Key to Immunotherapy for Skin Cancer
Source: Oncology Nurse Advisor, March 2024
Incidence of melanoma and keratinocyte (nonmelanoma) skin cancers, such as squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas (SCC and BCC, respectively), continues to increase, but mortality rates are stable or declining because of an explosion of treatment options, including numerous immunotherapy regimens, according to an oral presentation at the 2024 Oncology Nurse Advisor Summit.
But immune-related adverse events (irAEs), such as hypophysitis, myocarditis, autoimmune hepatitis, encephalitis, polyneuropathy, pneumonitis, pruritus, and colitis, can be a significant challenge.
“Nurses have a pivotal role in the identification, assessment, and management of these irAEs,” said Krista M. Rubin, MS, FNP-BC, from the Center for Melanoma/Cutaneous Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston. “It’s important that we maintain high vigilance for anybody receiving immunotherapies. We want to be looking out for [the] potential of any type of side effect.”