A new study has revealed that patients with advanced-stage cancer who are treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) face a significantly higher risk of developing psoriasis. The research, published on November 6 in JAMA Dermatology, highlights the potential dermatological side effects of these cancer therapies.
The study, led by Sheng-Yin To from the National Defense Medical Center in Taipei, Taiwan, and collaborators, explored the relationship between ICI use and the onset of psoriasis in cancer patients. The team analyzed data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance database and the Taiwan Cancer Registry, focusing on individuals with stage III or IV cancer who received antineoplastic treatments.
In the cohort study, 3,188 cancer patients who were treated with ICIs were compared to 132,042 patients who received chemotherapy or targeted therapies. The findings showed a stark difference in the incidence of psoriasis between the two groups. ICI users experienced 5.76 cases of psoriasis per 1,000 person-years, compared to just 1.44 cases per 1,000 person-years in non-ICI users.
After adjusting for factors such as demographics and pre-existing health conditions, the study concluded that ICI users were at a more than twofold increased risk of developing psoriasis. The risk was quantified with an inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)-adjusted hazard ratio of 3.31, and an IPTW-adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio of 2.43. These results were consistent across different follow-up periods and remained robust through various sensitivity analyses.
While the development of psoriasis remains a relatively rare side effect of ICIs, the authors emphasize the importance of healthcare providers being aware of the potential risk. They suggest that early recognition and management of skin conditions could help improve patient outcomes by ensuring both optimal dermatologic care and continued cancer treatment.
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