Dr. Ho on Managing Immune-Related AEs in Kidney Cancer

Thai H. Ho, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, Mayo Clinic, discusses the management of immune-related adverse events (AEs) in the treatment of patients with kidney cancer.

One of the things for genitourinary oncologists to keep in mind is that checkpoint inhibitors have a distinct toxicity profile. When AEs like pneumonitis or autoimmune colitis are detected, Ho says it would be beneficial to start steroid treatment earlier rather than later. These AEs can progress if they aren’t treated in their early stages. There are some emerging data from French groups as well as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute suggesting that even if steroid treatment is used, the durable responses associated with immunotherapy can be maintained.

With tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), Ho says it’s important to remember that dose adjustment is a viable option when unmanageable AEs present themselves. The scheduling regimen of tyrosine kinase inhibitors can also be adjusted.