Dr. Chiang on the Management of Immune-Related AEs in Lung Cancer

Anne Chiang, MD, PhD, associate professor​, Yale School of Medicine, chief network officer and deputy chief medical officer​, Smilow Cancer Network, discusses the management of ​immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) in lung cancer. 

It is critical to conduct a thorough toxicity evaluation in patients with lung cancer who are receiving immunotherapy, Chiang says. This is commonly done in the clinical trial setting, and it should also be a part of everyday practice, says Chiang. 

Common ​irAEs include diarrhea and skin toxicities. To quantify irAEs, ​it may be beneficial for patients to keep a diary that patients can refer to in follow-up appointments, Chiang notes.

Notably, it’s important to keep ​irAEs in mind when a patient presents with an ailment such as low blood pressure​. In some cases, more serious irAEs such as adrenal insufficiency, hypophysitis, or encephalitis can be mistaken for dehydration, Chiang concludes.