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. 2023 Jan;72(1):249-255.
doi: 10.1007/s00262-022-03230-4. Epub 2022 Jun 13.

Hematologic malignancies following immune checkpoint inhibition for solid tumors

Mick J M van Eijs  1   2 , Lotte E van der Wagen  3 , Rogier Mous  3 , Roos J Leguit  4 , Lisette van de Corput  5 , Anne S R van Lindert  6 , Britt B M Suelmann  1 , Anna M Kamphuis  1 , Stefan Nierkens  2   7 , Karijn P M Suijkerbuijk  8
Affiliations

Hematologic malignancies following immune checkpoint inhibition for solid tumors

Mick J M van Eijs et al. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) can induce durable responses in patients with advanced malignancies. Three cases of hematological neoplasia following ICI for solid tumors have been reported to date. We present five patients treated at our tertiary referral center between 2017 and 2021 who developed chronic myeloid leukemia (two patients), acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic eosinophilic leukemia during or after anti-PD-1-based treatment. Molecular analyses were performed on pre-ICI samples to identify baseline variants in myeloid genes. We hypothesize that PD-1 blockade might accelerate progression to overt myeloid malignancies and discuss potential underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: Case series; Immune checkpoint inhibitor; Leukemia; Myeloid neoplasms; Second primary cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

KS: advisory relationships with Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, MSD, Pierre Fabre and Abbvie and honoraria from Novartis and Roche, all outside the submitted work and paid to institution. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a–e Course of blood counts for patients 1–5, relative to the first cycle of ICI (‘day 0’). In patient 3, day ‘0’ marks the first cycle of nivolumab; not the first cycle of priorly administered durvalumab
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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