2024 Asia Conference on Lung Cancer (ACLC) - Poster & ePosters-PP01.68

PP01.68 - Birhan Alemnew Tamene

Pdf Summary

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the risk of infections in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received systemic immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy. Conducted by a team from the University of Hong Kong and Woldia University, the study analyzed data from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to determine how these therapies influence infection rates. <br /><br />The researchers hypothesized that these treatments could increase infection risks and impact patient survival. Using data from electronic databases and a total of 45 studies that met their criteria, they included 25,473 patients, with 13,895 in the treatment group and 11,578 in the control group. The analysis revealed that 15.26% of patients in the treatment group experienced infections of any grade, compared to 12.41% in the control group. Deaths due to infections were also higher in the treatment group at 2.9% versus 3.3% in the control. <br /><br />The study observed increased risks for specific infection types, such as pneumonia, respiratory tract infections (RTIs), and urinary tract infections (UTIs), particularly associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) plus chemotherapy, PD-L1 inhibitors, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) drugs, especially in patients with stage IV NSCLC.<br /><br />In conclusion, the research supports the notion that systemic immunotherapy and targeted therapies come with higher infection risks but stresses the need for further studies to understand these dynamics fully. The findings are crucial for assessing treatment plans and managing infection risks in NSCLC patients undergoing these therapies. <br /><br />The research acknowledges support from the University of Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and highlights the significance of long-term surveillance of therapy-related infections for improved patient outcomes.

Keywords

NSCLC

systemic immunotherapy

targeted therapy

infection risk

randomized clinical trials

immune checkpoint inhibitors

PD-L1 inhibitors

EGFR drugs

stage IV NSCLC

therapy-related infections