The mechanism and risk factors for immune checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)are new and promising therapeutic agents for non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).However,along with demonstrating remarkable efficacy,ICIs can also trigger immune-related adverse events.Checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis(CIP)has been reported to have a morbidity rate of 3%to 5%and a mortality rate of 10%to 17%.Moreover,the incidence of CIP in NSCLC is higher than that in other tumor types,reaching 7%to 13%.With the increased use of ICIs in NSCLC,CIP has drawn extensive attention from oncologists and cancer researchers.Identifying high risk factors for CIP and the potential mechanism of CIP are key points in preventing and monitoring serious adverse events.In this review,the results of our analysis and summary of previous studies suggested that the risk factors for CIP may include previous lung disease,prior thoracic irradiation,and combinations with other drugs.Our review also explored potential mechanisms closely related toCIP,including increasedT cell activity against associated antigens in tumor and normal tissues,preexisting autoantibodies,and inflammatory cytokines.

Bevacizumab in combination with pemetrexed and platinum for elderly patients with advanced non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer:a retrospective analysis

Bevacizumab,an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody,has significantly improved the clinical outcomes of patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC(ns-NSCLC).However,the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC require further investigation.Thus,59 patients were included in the present retrospective study,22 patients in the bevacizumab plus pemetrexed and platinum(B+PP)group,and 37 patients in the pemetrexed and platinum(PP)group.For the entire cohort of patients,the median OS was 33.3 months,and the 1-year and 2-year overall survival rates were 88.5%and 67.8%,respectively.The median OS and 1-year and 2-year OS rates were 20.5 months,70.3%and 0%,respectively,in the B+PP group and 33.4 months,97.0%and 89.4%,respectively,in the PP group(P<0.001).The incidence of grade≥3 adverse events was higher in the B+PP group than in the PP group(27.3%vs.10.8%,respectively;P=0.204).Univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that the receipt of≥5 cycles of first-line chemotherapy was an independent favorable prognostic factor for OS,whereas the addition of bevacizumab was an unfavorable prognostic factor.With increased toxicities,the addition of bevacizumab to PP does not improve the overall survival of elderly patients with advanced ns-NSCLC.