Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy Induces Inflammatory Activity in the Large Arteries of Lymphoma Patients under 50 Years of Age
- Author(s)
- Raffaella Calabretta, Philipp B. Staber, Christoph Kornauth, Xia Lu, Patrick Binder, Verena Pichler, Markus Mitterhauser, Alexander Haug, Xiang Li, Marcus Hacker
- Abstract
Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have transformed the management of various cancers. Serious and potentially fatal cardiovascular toxicity, as well as a progression of atherosclerosis, have been described, mainly in elderly and comorbid patients. Methods: We investigated 117 arterial segments of 12 young (under 50 years of age), otherwise healthy lymphoma patients pre/post-ICI treatment using 2-[18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). Maximum FDG standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and target-to-background ratios (TBRs) were calculated along arterial segments. Additionally, metabolic activities (SUVmax) of the bone marrow, spleen, and liver were analyzed. The levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were assessed. Results: ICI therapy induced arterial inflammatory activity, detected by increased TBR in arterial segments without pre-existing inflammation (TBRneg_pre = 1.20 ± 0.22 vs. TBRneg_post = 1.71 ± 0.45, p < 0.001), whereas already-inflamed lesions remained unchanged. Dormant calcified segments (Hounsfield Units-HU ≥ 130) showed a significant increase in TBR values after ICI treatment (TBRcalc_pre = 1.36 ± 0.38 vs. TBRcalc_post = 1.76 ± 0.42, p < 0.001). FDG uptake measured in other organs and hsCRP levels remained unchanged after ICI therapy. Conclusions: Although the effects of ICI therapy on arterial inflammation are still incompletely understood, cancer immunotherapy might be a critical moderator of atherosclerosis with a subsequently increased risk of future cerebro- and/or cardiovascular events in young oncological patients.
- Organisation(s)
- External organisation(s)
- Medizinische Universität Wien
- Journal
- Biology
- Volume
- 10
- No. of pages
- 6
- ISSN
- 2079-7737
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10111206
- Publication date
- 11-2021
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 302054 Nuclear medicine
- Keywords
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences, General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology, General Immunology and Microbiology
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/60baedaa-3b02-4c31-82b6-f26d452c59f0