The effect of common medications on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Medications such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), antihistamines, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been linked to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but these associations may reflect unmeasured confounding rather than true pharmacologic effects. This study evaluated whether commonly prescribed medications influence ICI outcomes, using a national patient sample and a negative control cohort.

Methods

The authors identified Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients with stage IV NSCLC treated with first- or second-line ICI therapy (n = 3739) or chemotherapy (n = 6585) from 2005 to 2023. Baseline use of 20 common medication classes and an immunomodulatory drug score were assessed. Propensi

SUBMITTER: Brinzevich D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12701955 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature