The Potential Cardiotoxicity of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

Abstract

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) as a mono- or adjuvant oncologic treatment is rapidly expanding to most fields of cancer. Alongside their efficacy, ICIs carry the risk of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) arising from misguided immune-mediated response to normal tissues. In the cardiovascular system, the cardiac toxicity of ICIs has been primarily related to the development of an acute, immune-mediated myocarditis; beyond this potentially fatal complication, evidence of an increased risk of cardiovascular events and accelerated atherosclerosis is emerging, as well as reports of other cardiovascular adverse events such as arrythmias, Takotsubo-like syndrome and vascular events. The absence of identified risk factors for cardiotoxic complications, specific monitoring strategies or diagnostic tests, pose challenges to the timely recognition and optimal management of such events. The rising numbers of patients being treated with ICIs make this potential cardiotoxic effect one of paramount importance for further investigation and understanding. This review will discuss the most recent data on different cardiotoxic effects of ICIs treatment.