MASCC 2016 | Side effects associated with checkpoint inhibitor therapies

Bernardo Rapoport, MD of The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa discusses side effects associated with different types of checkpoint inhibitors. Colitis is more common with anti-CTLA-4 treatment and pneumonitis is associated with anti-PD-1 therapy. As a general rule, anti-CTLA-4 agents like ipilimumab have more immune-related adverse events. Doctors have to weigh benefits and risks of each treatment. Dr Rapoport says that a price of a combined treatment needs to be reduced if this type of therapy is to be used outside of clinical trials. Recorded at the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and International Society of Ocular Oncology (ISOO) 2016 Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer held in Adelaide, Australia.