Long-term immune related adverse events.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Long-term immune related adverse events (irAEs) are an increasing reality in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) but remain under-reported. With the number of ICI treated patients increasing, we here aimed to expose the current evidence on their clinical presentations and diagnosis criteria.

Recent findings: First described in ICI validation trials, long term irAEs were further characterized through retrospective studies, providing clues on their frequency, clinical spectrum, risk factors and impact on patient's quality of life. Recent recommendations proposed consensual definitions to delineate their different subtypes, from delayed/late-onset irAE to chronic active and inactive irAE, paving the way to future prospective studies.

Summary: Knowledge of the different long-term irAE subtypes risk and clinical presentation is required to increase their detection and diagnosis, to better weight therapeutic decisions and to improve cancer patient's care.