Autoantibody positivity is a risk factor for chemotherapy-induced exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia in lung cancer

Abstract

Background: No study has yet investigated the incidence of chemotherapy-induced acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia (AE-IP) in patients with autoantibody-positive IP and lung cancer. Herein, we retrospectively compared the incidence of chemotherapy-induced AE-IP in patients with lung cancer between those with autoantibody-positive and -negative IP. Patients and Methods: Between October 2003 and December 2018, patients with lung cancer who received chemotherapy, underwent serological test of antinuclear antibody or rheumatoid factor, and were diagnosed with IP were enrolled. Results: A total of 81 patients were enrolled; autoantibody-positive cases were observed in 23.5%. Autoantibody positivity was an independent risk factor for chemotherapy-induced AE-IP at 6 months after initiation of chemotherapy for lung cancer. The time to onset of AE-IP was significantly shorter in autoantibody-positive patients than in the seronegative patients. Conclusion: Chemotherapy-induced AE-IP developed earlier in patients with autoantibody than in those without. Therefore, the potential development of AE-IP in autoantibody-positive patients warrants monitoring.