Potentially fatal complications of new systemic anticancer therapies: pearls and pitfalls in their initial management

Abstract

Various types of immunotherapy (i.e. immune checkpoint inhibitors [ICIs], chimeric antigen receptor [CAR] T-cells and bispecific T-cell engagers [BiTEs]) and antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have been used increasingly to treat solid cancers, lymphomas and leukaemias. Patients with serious complications of these therapies can be presented to physicians of different specialties. In this narrative review we discuss potentially fatal complications of new systemic anticancer therapies and some practical considerations for their diagnosis and initial treatment.

Keywords

• potentially fatal toxicity
• immune checkpoint inhibitor
• chimeric antigen receptor t-cells
• bispecific t-cell engager
• antibody dug conjugate
• immunosuppressive therapy