Safe Use of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With Autoimmune Disease in a Community Hospital Setting: A Report of Two Cases

Vivek D Shah; Surbhi Bansil; Jarred P Reed

doi:10.7759/cureus.81877

Safe Use of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With Autoimmune Disease in a Community Hospital Setting: A Report of Two Cases

Cureus. 2025 Apr 8;17(4):e81877. doi: 10.7759/cureus.81877. eCollection 2025 Apr.

Authors

Vivek D Shah¹, Surbhi Bansil², Jarred P Reed³

Affiliations

¹ Hematology and Medical Oncology, Olive View University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA.
² Internal Medicine, Olive View University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA.
³ Oncology, Olive View University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA.

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are fundamental to the management of hematologic and solid organ malignancies, and indications for their use are rapidly increasing. Patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases are often excluded from clinical trials involving ICIs due to the risk of exacerbating the underlying autoimmune condition. The lack of trial-level safety data limits the use of these therapies in real-world patients with autoimmune disease. We present a case series of two patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases who received immunotherapy for their malignancies, with manageable toxicities and desirable outcomes from an oncologic standpoint. We aim to contribute to the growing body of evidence suggesting that ICIs can be safely offered to selected patients with autoimmune diseases.

Keywords: autoimmune disease; clinical trial inclusion; immune checkpoint inhibitor; immune related adverse events; rheumatologic disease.

Publication types

Case Reports