Authored by members of the ACCC IO Institute Working Groups, the Immuno-Oncology Insights series brings forward perspectives and real-world strategies for tackling current challenges in delivery of immunotherapy for cancer, as well as thought-provoking, potential next steps for optimizing care in this rapidly growing field. Reader response is encouraged.
The efficacy of IO has led to a growing population of patients living with and beyond cancer. This has challenged original concepts of survivorship care, starting with the very definition of “survivorship.”
Envision a day that cancer clinicians can ask an app to advise on immuno-oncology (IO) treatment options for a patient. That day may not be far off.
Our busy community practice first began treating patients with immunotherapy through participating in the original ipilimumab clinical trials. We quickly realized that this new treatment paradigm would require us to create and implement an effective screening and management tool for our immunooncology (IO) patient population.
Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are extremely common in patients being treated with checkpoint inhibitors for advanced melanoma. The type, quality, and severity of these adverse events, however, varies by treatment regimen and by patient.
Patients with complex medical needs, such as those with active autoimmune conditions, hepatitis B or C, and those receiving corticosteroids at baseline, may now receive these agents in the community. This raises important questions regarding safety, monitoring, and the likelihood of an anticancer response in these patients.
The promises of Big Data are intuitively appealing: (virtually) unlimited data that will enable us to answer (virtually) any questions that we may have.