Immune checkpoint inhibition in COVID-19: risks and benefits.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) is a novel cancer immunotherapy, which is administered in patients with metastatic, refractory, or relapsed solid cancer types. Since the initiation of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many studies have reported a higher severity and mortality rate of COVID-19 among patients with cancer in general.

Areas covered

The immunomodulatory effects of ICI can modify the patients' immune system function in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. There is controversy over whether the severity of COVID-19 in cancer patients who previously received ICI compared to other patients with cancer has increased. There is evidence that the upregulation of immune checkpoint molecules in T cells, lymp

SUBMITTER: Pezeshki PS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7898453 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature