Hypophysitis, secondary to programmed cell death 1 protein (PD1) and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PDL1) inhibitors, were thought to be rare, with only a few studies describing more than one case with long-term follow-up. The aim of the present study was to describe the clinical, laboratory, and morphological characteristics of PD1/PDL1 inhibitor-induced hypophysitis, and its long-term course. This cohort study was conducted at the University Hospital of Lyon, France, with longitudinal follow-up of patients. Seventeen cases of PD1/PDL1 inhibitor-induced hypophysitis were included. The median time to onset of hypophysitis was 28 weeks (range: 10-46). At diagnosis, 16 patients complained of fatigue, 12 of nausea or loss of appetite, while headache was rare. We found no imaging pituitary abnormality. All patients presented adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency; other pituitary deficiencies were less common (n = 7). At last follow-up (median: 13 months), ACTH deficiency persisted in all but one patient and one patient recovered from gonadotropic deficiency. PD1/PDL1 inhibitor-induced hypophysitis is a clinical entity different from those associated to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA4) inhibitors, with less obvious clinical and radiological signs, and probably a different mechanism. The paucity of symptoms demonstrates the need for systematic hormonal follow-up for patients receiving PD1/PDL1 inhibitors.
Keywords: adrenal insufficiency; hypophysitis; immunotherapy; nivolumab; pembrolizumab; programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 protein; programmed cell death 1 protein.