AIMS
This project aims to describe the journey that cancer patients treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) take. Specifically, the researchers will consider unplanned healthcare contacts made by patients via emergency attendances and hospital admissions with potential side effects of these new treatments. This will help identify common and rare side effects, and build educational tools to inform clinicians of the side effects patients may experience.
BACKGROUND
ICIs are a type of cancer treatment which works by using the patient’s own immune system to attack the cancer cells. ICIs are a very effective treatment option for many different types of cancer including some types of skin, kidney, bladder, and lung cancers. They can dramatically improve how well patients respond to the cancer treatment and their survival.
However, ICIs can cause numerous side effects, which can be serious and life-threatening. These side effects are very variable and can affect any organ in the body. The side effects can also mimic a high number of other illnesses.
This poses a challenge, as different causes of the symptoms will require different treatments. For example, ICIs can cause inflammation and scarring of the lungs leading to breathlessness, but breathlessness can be caused by many different diseases. As the possible side effects from ICIs are so broad and affect patients differently, it is difficult for doctors to predict when or if they will occur and how serious they will be. It is also difficult for emergency care doctors to rapidly identify that the symptoms are caused by the ICI treatment.
RESEARCH
Patients treated with ICIs who experience side effects will each have a different experience of how they were treated and how easily the cause of the side effects was diagnosed. The analysis of PIONEER data will allow an understanding of the pathways that are best for identifying ICI side effects and treating patients experiencing these side effects.
The project will create tools to identify ICI side effects, improving the care provided to these patients.
PATIENT INVOLVEMENT
The researchers have discussed this project with a group of patients on ICIs, who were concerned that the side effects of their treatments are poorly recognised in acute care services, and were supportive of the project. The group have agreed to take part in further work to see how the findings can be shared widely.
APPROVAL
This project was supported unanimously by the PIONEER Data Trust Committee.
This work is led by Robert Carroll, Associate Director for the Centre of Observational Research and Data Sciences (CORDS) at Bristol-Myers Squibb Ltd.
