Clinical characteristics, management, and potential biomarkers of endocrine dysfunction induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors

Abstract

Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) affecting the endocrine glands are among the most frequent irAEs induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and include hypopituitarism, primary adrenal insufficiency, thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, hypoparathyroidism, and type 1 diabetes mellitus. Since the incidence and clinical features of endocrine irAEs vary according to the ICI used, it is important to understand the characteristics of these irAEs and to manage each one appropriately. Since some endocrine irAEs, including adrenal crisis and diabetic ketoacidosis, are potentially life-threatening, predicting the risk of endocrine irAEs before their onset is critical. Several autoantibodies have been detected in patients who develop endocrine irAEs, among which anti-thyroid antibodies may be predictive biomarkers of thyroid dysfunction. In this review, we describe the clinical features of each endocrine irAE induced by ICIs and discuss their potential biomarkers, including autoantibodies.