Predictive biomarkers for pneumonitis after chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy in Patients With Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Summary:

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment by producing durable responses. For example, approximately up to 20% of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have durable clinical responses. However, this is not without toxicities. Immune-related adverse events (irAE) are unpredictable toxicities affecting the lungs, endocrine system, GI tract, skin, liver, and nervous system. Pneumonitis, inflammation of the lungs, is an irAE of interest because it is most commonly associated with treatment-related deaths. Most patients recover with steroids or stopping treatment if caught at an early stage; however, those with more severe pneumonitis have a higher risk of morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, the incidence of pneumonitis is almost 33% in those receiving concurrent radiation therapy. Currently, there are no validated approaches for screening patients at high risk of developing pneumonitis. The researchers in this study will collect blood samples from NSCLC patients receiving durvalumab, an ICI, to see if they can identify patients who are more likely to develop pneumonitis and to see if their blood test changes while developing toxicities like pneumonitis.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04913311