[Hepatic and digestive adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-CTLA-4 and, anti-PD-1/PD-L1): A clinico-pathological review]

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1/PD-L1) have recently revolutionized anti-cancer therapy and are nowadays used in different metastatic cancers. These treatments may induce immune-related adverse events which frequently involve the digestive tract and, to a less extent the liver. The tissular injuries, which are still poorly characterized from a morphological and physiopathological point of view, may lead on one side to the interruption of a life-saving treatment and on the other side to the development of severe complications, if not death. Therefore, it is crucial to diagnose as early as possible and treat these digestive and hepatic adverse effects in an optimal way. This article aims to describe the clinical and pathological presentations of digestive and hepatic adverse events induced by these immunotherapies.

Keywords: Anti-CTLA-4; Anti-PD-1; Colite; Colitis; Effets secondaires; Hepatitis; Hépatite; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Immune related adverse events; Inhibiteurs du checkpoint immunitaire.