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Review
. 2021 Jul;9(7):e002835.
doi: 10.1136/jitc-2021-002835.

Clinical and immunologic implications of COVID-19 in patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors

Benjamin Switzer  1 , John Haanen  2 , Paul C Lorigan  3   4 , Igor Puzanov #  5 , Samra Turajlic #  6   7
Affiliations
Review

Clinical and immunologic implications of COVID-19 in patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors

Benjamin Switzer et al. J Immunother Cancer. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

The clinical and immunologic implications of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic for patients with cancer receiving systemic anticancer therapy have introduced a multitude of clinical challenges and academic controversies. This review summarizes the current evidence, discussion points, and recommendations regarding the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with cancer during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with a focus on patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma (RCC). More specifically, we summarize the theoretical concepts and available objective data regarding the relationships between ICIs and the antiviral immune response, along with recommended clinical approaches to the management of melanoma and RCC patient cohorts receiving ICIs throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional insights regarding the use of ICIs in the setting of current and upcoming COVID-19 vaccines and broader implications toward future pandemics are also discussed.

Keywords: COVID-19; immunotherapy; kidney neoplasms; melanoma; vaccination.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: JH reports research funding from Amgen, BioNTech, BMS, MSD, and Novartis, received institutional advisory fees from Achilles Tx, BioNTech, BMS, Ipsen, Immunocore, MSD, Merck Serono, Molecular Partners, Novartis, Pfizer, PokeAcell, Roche, Sanofi, Seattle Genetics, T-Knife, and Third Rock Ventures, and reports personal fees and stock options with Neogene Therapeutics. PCL reports research funding from Bristol Myers Squibb and JP Moulton Foundation and received personal fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, MSD, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Amgen, and Nektar. IP reports consulting fees from Amgen, Iovance, Nouscom, Oncosec, Oncorus, Merck, and Nektar. ST reports research funding from Cancer Research UK (grant reference number A29911), the Francis Crick Institute, which receives its core funding from Cancer Research UK (FC10988), the UK Medical Research Council (FC10988), and the Wellcome Trust (FC10988), the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Marsden Hospital and Institute of Cancer Research (grant reference number A109), the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, the Rosetrees Trust (grant reference number A2204), Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. (grant reference numbers 10467 and 10530), the National Institute of Health ((U01 CA247439), and Melanoma Research Alliance (Award Ref no 686061), received speaking fees from Roche, Astra Zeneca, Novartis, and Ipsen, and has the following patents filed: Indel mutations as a therapeutic target and predictive biomarker PCTGB2018/051892 and PCTGB2018/051893 and Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Biomarkers P113326GB.

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