[Quality of life in immune checkpoint inhibitors trials]

Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized oncological management in several tumor types, allowing prolonged tumoral responses. Thus, they are administered over long periods of time and can give specific autoimmune adverse reactions that may have a potential impact on quality of life (QoL). Most of phase III trials with ICI have included an assessment of QoL. In metastatic setting, in comparison with chemotherapy or targeted therapies, they indicate an absence of degradation of the QoL scores or even an improvement of these scores. In adjuvant setting, the deterioration of QoL scores is not clinically significant, regardless of the ICI used. In addition, there is no impairment of quality of life in patients with prolonged treatment duration. However, the measurement of QoL under ICI remains a challenge because of the specificities of these treatments and adapted measurement scales are being developed to improve the assessment of the impact of these treatments on patients' QoL.

Keywords: Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Immunotherapy; Immunothérapie; Inhibiteurs de checkpoints immunitaires; Quality of life; Qualité de vie; Toxicity; Toxicité.