Key clinical point: Preexisting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) did not increase the risk for mortality or severe immune-related adverse events (AE) in patients initiating immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer treatment and thus, should not be considered as a contraindication for initiating immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Major finding: Among patients initiating immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer treatment, those with and without preexisting RA had comparable risks for mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.16; P = .30) and severe grade ≥3 immune-related AE (aHR 1.06; P = .83).
Study details: Findings are from a retrospective, comparative, cohort study including 11,901 patients who initiated immune checkpoint inhibitors for cancer treatment, of which 87 patients with preexisting RA were matched to 203 patients without preexisting autoimmune diseases (comparator group).
Disclosures: This study did not receive any specific funding. Several authors declared being employed and owning stock options or receiving partial salary support, honoraria, consulting fees, research grants, or royalties from different sources.
Source: McCarter KR et al. Mortality and immune-related adverse events after immune checkpoint inhibitor initiation for cancer among patients with pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis: A retrospective, comparative, cohort study. Lancet Rheumatol. 2023 (Mar 27). Doi: 10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00064-4