title: The safety of anti PD-1 therapeutics for the treatment of melanoma.
abstract: The introduction of immunotherapies into clinical practice has substantially improved the prognosis of metastatic melanoma patients as well as patients suffering from other cancers. The two FDA-approved checkpoint inhibitors against PD-1 (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have been shown to significantly improve patient survival while being less toxic than previous treatment options. Areas covered: The current scientific literature on safety and adverse events (AEs) related to anti-PD-1 therapies has been investigated with special attention to case reports and to the latest results announced at the major clinical cancer and melanoma meetings, including ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology), ESMO (European Society of medical Oncology) and EADO (European Association of Dermato-Oncology) annual meetings. Expert opinion: Even though anti-PD-1 therapies are better tolerated than conventional chemo- or other immune-therapies, they still induce a plethora of AEs. Given the mechanism of action, it is supposed that most if not all of them are immune related. Fortunately, the majority are mild and manageable. However, due to the increase in patients' life expectancy, there is a substantial need to understand and prevent severe cutaneous, pulmonary, neurological and other AEs which have major impact on the quality of life. The safety profile after long term use of these medications is still unclear. In addition, non-steroid based immune interventions to control autoimmunity are still to be developed.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.|b Centre of Dermatovenereology , Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu klinikos , Vilnius , Lithuania.
authors.forename: Egle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ramelyte
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sabrina A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.affiliation: a Department of Dermatology , University Hospital Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dummer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000077594:Nivolumab; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011788:Quality of Life; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013534:Survival
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D000077594:Nivolumab; C582435:pembrolizumab
keywords: Adverse events; anti-PD-1 antibody; immunotherapy; melanoma