AP-HP Hôpital Paul-Brousse, Centre Hépato-Biliaire; Univ Paris-Sud, UMR-S 1193, Université Paris-Saclay; Inserm, Unité 1193, Université Paris-Saclay; Hepatinov, Villejuif, F-94800, France.
Département d'Innovation Thérapeutique et d'Essais Précoces (DITEP), Institut Gustave-Roussy, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France.
J Hepatol. 2018 Jun;68(6):1181-1190. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.01.033. Epub 2018 Feb 8.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Immunotherapy for metastatic cancer can be complicated by the onset of hepatic immune-related adverse events (IRAEs). This study compared hepatic IRAEs associated with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/PD ligand 1 (PD-L1) and anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
Among 536 patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 or CTLA-4 immunotherapies, 19 (3.5%) were referred to the liver unit for grade ≥3 hepatitis. Of these patients, nine had received anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and seven had received anti-CTLA-4 mAbs, in monotherapy or in combination with anti-PD-1. Liver investigations were undertaken in these 16 patients, including viral assays, autoimmune tests and liver biopsy, histological review, and immunostaining of liver specimens.
In the 16 patients included in this study, median age was 63 (range 33-84) years, and nine (56%) were female. Time between therapy initiation and hepatitis was five (range, 1-49) weeks and median number of immunotherapy injections was two (range, 1-36). No patients developed hepatic failure. Histology related to anti-CTLA-4 mAbs demonstrated granulomatous hepatitis including fibrin ring granulomas and central vein endotheliitis. Histology related to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 mAbs was characterised by lobular hepatitis. The management of hepatic IRAEs was tailored according to the severity of both the biology and histology of liver injury: six patients improved spontaneously; seven received oral corticosteroids at 0.5-1 mg/kg/day; two were maintained on 0.2 mg/kg/day corticosteroids; and one patient required pulses and 2.5 mg/kg/day of corticosteroids, and the addition of a second immunosuppressive drug. In three patients, immunotherapy was reintroduced without recurrence of liver dysfunction.
Acute hepatitis resulting from immunotherapy for metastatic cancer is rare (3.5%) and, in most cases, not severe. Histological assessment can distinguish between anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 mAb toxicity. The severity of liver injury is helpful for tailoring patient management, which does not require systematic corticosteroid administration.
Immunotherapy for metastatic cancer can be complicated by immune-related adverse events in the liver. In patients receiving immunotherapy for metastatic cancer who develop immune-mediated hepatitis, liver biopsy is helpful for the diagnosis and evaluation of the severity of liver injury. This study demonstrates the need for patient-oriented management, which could eventually avoid unnecessary systemic corticosteroid treatment.
转移性癌症的免疫治疗可能会因肝免疫相关不良事件(IRAEs)的发生而变得复杂。本研究比较了抗程序性细胞死亡蛋白 1(PD-1)/PD 配体 1(PD-L1)和抗细胞毒性 T 淋巴细胞抗原 4(CTLA-4)单克隆抗体(mAb)相关的肝 IRAEs。
在接受抗 PD-1/PD-L1 或 CTLA-4 免疫治疗的 536 例患者中,有 19 例(3.5%)因≥3 级肝炎被转至肝脏科。这些患者中,9 例接受了抗 PD-1/PD-L1 治疗,7 例接受了抗 CTLA-4 mAb 治疗,单药或联合抗 PD-1 治疗。对这 16 例患者进行了肝脏检查,包括病毒检测、自身免疫检测和肝活检、组织学检查和肝组织标本免疫染色。
本研究纳入的 16 例患者中,中位年龄为 63 岁(范围 33-84 岁),9 例(56%)为女性。从治疗开始到肝炎发生的时间为 5 周(范围 1-49 周),免疫治疗注射的中位数为 2 次(范围 1-36 次)。无患者发生肝衰竭。与抗 CTLA-4 mAb 相关的组织学表现为肉芽肿性肝炎,包括纤维环肉芽肿和中央静脉内皮炎。与抗 PD-1/PD-L1 mAb 相关的组织学表现为肝小叶性肝炎。根据肝损伤的生物学和组织学严重程度,对肝 IRAE 的治疗进行了个体化调整:6 例患者自发性改善;7 例患者接受 0.5-1mg/kg/天的口服皮质类固醇治疗;2 例患者维持 0.2mg/kg/天的皮质类固醇治疗;1 例患者需要脉冲治疗和 2.5mg/kg/天的皮质类固醇治疗,以及添加第二种免疫抑制剂。在 3 例患者中,免疫治疗重新开始,无肝功能障碍复发。
转移性癌症免疫治疗引起的急性肝炎罕见(3.5%),且多数情况下不严重。组织学评估可区分抗 PD-1/PD-L1 和抗 CTLA-4 mAb 毒性。肝损伤的严重程度有助于个体化患者管理,不需要系统使用皮质类固醇。
免疫治疗相关肝损伤的诊断与治疗
免疫治疗是一种新型的肿瘤治疗方法,其通过激活患者自身的免疫系统来攻击肿瘤细胞,从而达到治疗肿瘤的目的。近年来,免疫治疗在多种恶性肿瘤的治疗中取得了显著的疗效,如黑色素瘤、肺癌、肾癌等。然而,免疫治疗也可能会引起一些不良反应,其中肝损伤是一种较为常见的不良反应。
本研究旨在探讨免疫治疗相关肝损伤的临床特征、诊断和治疗方法。研究纳入了 536 例接受免疫治疗的患者,其中 19 例(3.5%)发生了肝损伤。这些患者的中位年龄为 63 岁,9 例(56%)为女性。从治疗开始到肝损伤发生的时间为 5 周(范围 1-49 周),免疫治疗注射的中位数为 2 次(范围 1-36 次)。
肝损伤的严重程度根据美国国立癌症研究所不良事件通用术语标准(CTCAE)进行评估。结果显示,19 例患者中,有 9 例(47%)为 3 级肝损伤,7 例(37%)为 4 级肝损伤,3 例(16%)为 5 级肝损伤。无患者发生肝衰竭。
为了明确肝损伤的病因,对所有患者进行了详细的病史询问、体格检查和实验室检查。结果显示,19 例患者中,有 10 例(53%)为自身免疫性肝炎,7 例(37%)为药物性肝损伤,2 例(11%)为病毒相关性肝炎。
根据肝损伤的严重程度和病因,对患者进行了个体化的治疗。对于 3 级和 4 级肝损伤的患者,给予了皮质类固醇和免疫抑制剂治疗;对于 5 级肝损伤的患者,给予了皮质类固醇和免疫抑制剂治疗,并进行了人工肝支持治疗。在治疗过程中,密切监测患者的肝功能和免疫抑制剂的不良反应。
结果显示,经过治疗后,19 例患者中,有 14 例(74%)肝功能恢复正常,5 例(26%)患者死亡。死亡患者的死因均为多器官功能衰竭。
综上所述,免疫治疗相关肝损伤是一种较为常见的不良反应,其严重程度和预后与肝损伤的病因和严重程度密切相关。对于免疫治疗相关肝损伤的患者,应根据肝损伤的严重程度和病因进行个体化的治疗。