Vitiligo and Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy
Author Information
Author(s): Fleshner Lauren MSc, Roster Katie MD, Xie Lillian BS, Lipner Shari R. MD, PhD
Primary Institution: New York Medical College
Hypothesis
Does vitiligo indicate a favorable outcome in oncology patients treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors?
Conclusion
Most oncology patients treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors who developed vitiligo showed a positive response to treatment.
Supporting Evidence
- 66.6% of melanoma patients had complete or partial responses to immunotherapy.
- Median time to vitiligo onset was 12 weeks after treatment.
- Vitiligo was reported in patients with melanoma and nonsmall cell lung cancer.
Takeaway
When cancer patients take certain treatments, some might get a skin condition called vitiligo, which can actually mean the treatment is working well for them.
Methodology
A systematic review was conducted using multiple databases to analyze studies on adult oncology patients who developed vitiligo after receiving immune-checkpoint inhibitors.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to the small number of studies included.
Limitations
Small sample size, selection bias, lack of long-term outcomes, and absence of higher-quality studies.
Participant Demographics
Median age of participants was 61.3 years, with 62.5% male and various cancer types including melanoma and nonsmall cell lung cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.007
Confidence Interval
0.12-0.71
Statistical Significance
p=0.007
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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