Pre-existing autoimmune disease and mortality in patients treated with anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 therapy

Indications for immune checkpoint inhibitors have dramatically increased in the past decade. ICIs have been associated with immune-related adverse event which can resemble autoimmune diseases (ADs). Analysis of patients with pre-existing ADs and matched controls found that a history of AD was not associated with higher mortality among patients receiving anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 for cancers (HR 1.03; p=0.05), while history of Hashimoto’s disease (HR 0.75; p=0.002) or vitiligo (HR 0.52; p=0.003) was associated with decreased mortality. The authors conclude that underlying AD need not be a contraindication to anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapy.