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. 2025 Aug 8;104(32):e43579.
doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000043579.

Safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients with COVID-19: A review

Kejian Yang  1   2   3 , Haixiang Xie  1   2   3 , Zuyin Wan  1   2   3 , Xin Zhou  1   2   3 , Junqi Liu  1   2   3 , Jusen Nong  1   2   3 , Jianzhu Luo  1   2   3 , Chongjiu Qin  1   2   3 , Tao Peng  1   2   3
Affiliations

Safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients with COVID-19: A review

Kejian Yang et al. Medicine (Baltimore). .

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 has emerged as a substantial burden to global public health, with cancer patients exhibiting heightened susceptibility to severe complications. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have exhibited noteworthy efficacy in cancer therapy by promoting robust anti-tumor immune responses. Nevertheless, the safety and efficacy during epidemics remain contentious. The extant evidence concerning the persistent administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer treatment within the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic has been consolidated in this review, and the significance of rigorous patient screening and vigilant monitoring has been emphasized to equilibrate anticancer efficacy with the risk of immune dysfunction, thereby establishing a foundation for the research in cancer immunotherapy.

Keywords: COVID-19; cancer patients; immune checkpoint inhibitors; immune-related adverse events.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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