French researchers have investigated the adverse effects of immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are latest-generation anti-cancer drugs:
- their research focused on the myotoxic and cardiotoxic effects of these molecules,
- data from the national health data system (SNDS) were screened and analysed for the period 2011-2022,
- based on 172,000 patients treated in France during this period, between 0.7 and 0.9% presented with myotoxicity (peaking at 7% for those treated for malignant thymoma),
- and slightly fewer (0.3 to 0.6%) presented with cardiotoxicity.
The authors highlight the existence of predictive factors for the occurrence of such adverse effects, such as a history of autoimmune myasthenia gravis.
