Thoracic Complications of Precision Cancer Therapies: A Practical Guide for Radiologists in the New Era of Cancer Care

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive review of the thoracic complications of precision cancer therapies, with an emphasis on emerging challenges resulting from novel therapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies, and serves as a practical reference guide for radiologists. Recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer have opened a new era of precision medicine for cancer treatment. Precision cancer therapies target specific molecules that are responsible for cancer development and progression, and they achieve marked treatment benefits in specific cohorts of patients. However, these therapies are also associated with a variety of complications that are often unique to specific groups of anticancer agents. The rapidly increasing use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of various advanced malignancies has brought new challenges in diagnosing and monitoring a unique set of toxic effects termed immune-related adverse events. Familiarity with cutting-edge cancer treatment approaches and awareness of the emerging complications from novel therapies are essential for radiologists, who play a key role in the care of patients with cancer. This article provides a comprehensive review of the thoracic complications of precision cancer therapies, descr...