Concomitant medications and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for cancer: causation or association?

Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2021 Jan 2;17(1):55-61. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1769398. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

Abstract

The majority of cancer patients assume concomitant medications for the treatment of cancer-related symptoms or co-morbidities. As immune checkpoint inhibitors expand in the treatment of a widening range of malignancies, drug-drug interactions have become an area of increasing interest due to the potential for some concomitant medications to exert immune-modulatory effects and influence outcomes from immunotherapy. Here, we review the evidence supporting this association across selected drug classes including antibiotics, proton pump inhibitors, metformin, and opioids.

Keywords: antibiotics; cancer immunotherapy; corticosteroids; immune checkpoint inhibitors; metformin; opioids; proton pump inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Drug Interactions
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors*
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
  • Immunotherapy / adverse effects
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
  • Immunologic Factors