Nadine Petitpain, Julie Garon-Czmil, Franck Rouby, Marion Sassier, Georges Weryha, Marc Klein, Pierre Gillet, Samy Babai, Melissa Yelehe-Okouma, Centre Régional de PharmacoVigilance de Lorraine (CRPV Lorraine), Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Nancy (CHRU Nancy), Service d'Endocrinologie et Gynécologie Médicale [CHRU Nancy], Centre régional de pharmacovigilance de Marseille Provence Corse [CHU de Marseille] (CRPV-Marseille), Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Marseille (APHM)-CHU Marseille, Institut de Neurosciences des Systèmes (INS), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Département de Pharmacologie [CHU Caen], Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-CHU Caen, Normandie Université (NU)-Tumorothèque de Caen Basse-Normandie (TCBN)-Tumorothèque de Caen Basse-Normandie (TCBN), Centre régional de pharmacovigilance [CHU Henri-Mondor], CHU Henri Mondor [Créteil], Ingénierie Moléculaire et Physiopathologie Articulaire (IMoPA), Université de Lorraine (UL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), CHU Marseille-Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille (AP-HM), CHU Caen, Normandie Université (NU)-Tumorothèque de Caen Basse-Normandie (TCBN)-Normandie Université (NU)-Tumorothèque de Caen Basse-Normandie (TCBN)-Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU), and CHU Henri Mondor
Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer has become increasingly prescribed in recent years. Indeed, it is used to treat both solid and hematological malignancies due to their considerable potential in treating melanoma, non-small cell lung and other cancers. Immune-mediated related adverse endocrine toxicity, and especially thyroiditis, is seen as a growing problem needing specific screening and management. This study aims at describing thyroid dysfunctions induced by the ICIs marketed in France, which are registered in the French Pharmacovigilance database. This database was queried for nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and ipilimumab-induced adverse drug reactions reported before April 30, 2017. Both a pharmacologist and an endocrinologist have reviewed each case to select only those of peripheral thyroiditis (thyrotoxicosis and hypothyroidism). During this period, 110 thyroiditis following ICI therapy were reported. Sex/ratio was around one. Most of the cases (47.2%) were asymptomatic. Although some thyrotoxicosis cases were severe, no orbitopathy was reported. Hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis were equally described. Antithyroid antibodies were positive in only 16% patients. The ultrasonography was informative in 19% patients. Levothyroxine supplementation was necessary in 57% patients, leading to 19% recovery. With a dedicated optimized management, most of the cases did not require immunotherapy discontinuation. Finally, immune-mediated related thyroiditis is increasing due to a wider prescription of ICI therapy in various cancer conditions and systematic screening. Often asymptomatic, they lead to a local activation accompanied by hormonal deficiency in the long run. It is necessary to carry out an early and sustained multidisciplinary screening to allow immunotherapy continuation.