Incidence of active tuberculosis in lung cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors

Abstract

Although it ameliorates lung cancer, immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) presents complications of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis. Incidence of tuberculosis during immunotherapy remains unclear. We found that 1.7% of patients developed active tuberculosis during immunotherapy at our institution. In patients with a positive interferon-gamma release assay status before ICI therapy, physicians should pay close attention to developing tuberculosis.