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VIDEO: Adverse events less common with immuno-therapy, still require patient, provider education and early recognition and treatment
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Julie R. Brahmer, MD, MSc, director of the thoracic oncology program at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, discusses the role of immunotherapy in treating non-small cell lung cancer and the importance of educating both patients and physicians about the toxicities associated with the therapy.
Trials have demonstrated that – in the second-line treatment setting – immune-related toxicities are significantly less when compared with the toxicities associated with chemotherapy, according to Brahmer.
“We have patients who are very concerned about toxicities, as well as patients who absolutely don’t think that this type of therapy has any types of toxicities,” she told HemOnc Today. “We have to bring those patients in the middle and help educate them about potential toxicities as well as help educate … physicians that we work with.”
The side effects associated with anti-PD1 and anti-PDL1 inhibitor therapy are usually low grade, Brahmer said, but it is important to identify toxicities at an early stage and treat them as quickly as possible.
Brahmer mentions that some of the most common side effects associated with PDL and PDL1 antibodies include inflammation, fatigue, decreased appetite, nausea and diarrhea.
“It’s very important for us to diagnose early – always to have the autoimmune toxicities high on our differential, but also remember that these patients can have other things that cause these side effects including infections as well as their own disease,” she said.