Be aware of endocrinological side effects of cancer immunotherapy

In cancer immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPi) have been widely used. They enhance antitumour immunity by blocking negative regulators of T cell function.Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitors have dramatically changed the outcome of patients with several advanced stage malignancies, but they also lead to a variety of autoimmune consequences. Endocrinopathies have emerged as one of the most common immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of ICPi therapy including thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune diabetes and hypophysitis, etc. These endocrinological side effects can affect the tumor treatment even be life-threatening if not promptly recognized and treated. Knowing the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of various ICPi related adverse reactions of endocrine system could enhance clinicians′ understanding of these adverse reactions in immunotherapy. Key words: Immune checkpoint inhibitor; Endocrine disease; Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4; Programmed cell death protein-1