What Role for Anti-TNFs in Addressing Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor AEs?

Source: The Center For Biosimilars, February 2020

While immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown great promise in treating cancer, they are associated with immune-related adverse events (AE), many of which can be severe. One of the most common AEs that leads to discontinuation of immune checkpoint inhibitors is immune-related enterocolitis, or inflammation of the digestive tract.

While high-dose glucocorticoid treatment is recommended to treat this AE, prolonged steroid use is linked with a number of potential complications, and some patients may find it difficult to taper their doses.

Given that anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents are able to suppress mucosal inflammation, some have posited that these drugs could play a role in mitigating immune-related enterocolitis. Recently, authors from the Massachusetts General Hospital reported on experience with 5 patients with malignancies who were treated with anti-TNF agents and single or combination immune checkpoint inhibitors.1

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