Proposed diagnostic and treatment paradigm for high-grade neurological complications of immune checkpoint inhibitors

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as antibodies to cytotoxic lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (ipilimumab) and programmed cell-death 1 (pembrolizumab, nivolumab) molecules have been used in non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic melanoma, and renal-cell carcinoma, among others. With these agents, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) can occur, including those affecting the neurological axis. In this review, high-grade neurological irAEs associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors including cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and myasthenia gravis (MG) are analyzed. Based on current literature and experience at our institution with 4 cases of high-grade neurological irAEs associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (2 cases of GBS, 1 case of meningo-radiculitis, and 1 case of myelitis), we propose an algorithm for the investigation and treatment of high-grade neurological irAEs. Our algorithm incorporates both peripheral nervous system (meningo-radiculitis, GBS, MG) and central nervous system presentations (myelitis, encephalopathy). It is anticipated that our algorithm will be useful both to oncologists and neurologists who are likely to encounter neurological irAEs more frequently in the future as immune checkpoint inhibitors become more widely used.