Cancer immunotherapy — immune checkpoint blockade and associated endocrinopathies

Abstract

The emergence of cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment but is associated with serious immune-related adverse effects (IRAEs) Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4)-targeted immunotherapy is associated with increased susceptibility to hypophysitis and primary thyroid dysfunction Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1)-targeted immunotherapy is associated with primary thyroid dysfunction and type 1 diabetes mellitus CTLA4–PD1 combination therapy has an elevated incidence of hypothyroidism and possibly incidence rates of hypophysitis similar to those with monotherapy with CTLA4 antibodies IRAEs might be associated with improved clinical response of tumours to immunotherapy, but further studies are needed to evaluate this possible effect