Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are now, among other cancers, routinely used for the treatment of advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). In mRCC various combinations of ICIs and inhibitors of the vascular epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (VEGFR-TKIs) as well as dual checkpoint inhibition (nivolumab + ipilimumab), the latter for patients with intermediate and poor risk according to IMDC only (international metastatic renal cell carcinoma database consortium), are now standard of care in the first line setting. Therefore, a profound understanding of immune-related adverse events (irAE) and the differential diagnosis of adverse reactions caused by other therapeutic agents in combination therapies is of paramount importance. Here we describe prevention, early diagnosis and clinical management of the most relevant irAE derived from ICI treatment focusing on the new VEGFR-TKI/ICI combinations.
Keywords: adverse reactions; immune therapy; immune-checkpoint inhibitors; immune-related adverse events; renal cell carcinoma; side effects.