Neurologic disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Mult Scler. 2023 Mar;29(3):471-474. doi: 10.1177/13524585221117949. Epub 2022 Aug 11.

Abstract

Background: There is concern that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) can provoke relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Objective: Analyze outcomes of pwMS who received ICPI treatment for malignancy.

Methods: We electronically identified pwMS who received ICPI treatment at Mass General Brigham hospital system. We retrospectively obtained information about patients' MS, cancer, treatment, and outcomes.

Results: Sixteen patients were identified with an average (standard deviation (SD)) age of 67.4 (11.9) years. Eleven (68.8%) had no relapses since MS diagnosis. None had MS relapses after ICPI treatment or new MS lesions.

Conclusion: ICPI use was not associated with increased clinical disease activity in this cohort of older patients with inactive MS.

Keywords: Multiple sclerosis; immunology.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Multiple Sclerosis* / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms* / complications
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Nervous System Diseases*
  • Retrospective Studies

Substances

  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors