Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for cancer patients infected with HIV: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy represents a breakthrough in cancer treatment. However, clinical trials of ICI have usually excluded people living with HIV (PLWH). The efficacy and safety data of ICI in PLWH is scarce.

METHODS

Literature on the efficacy and safety of ICI in PLWH with advanced cancers and on the role in decreasing HIV reservoir were searched via PubMed.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty patients were identified. The most commonly used ICIs are nivolumab (48.5%) and pembrolizumab (36.9%). The most common malignancy in this population analyzed in this review is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, 43.1%). The control rates of ICIs observed for PLWH with advanced NSCLC was consistent with that reported for general population. In this analysis, ICI therapy was generally well tolerated, with grade 3 or higher adverse events in 15 of 130 patients (11.5%) and has not deleterious effects on HIV virologic control. ICI has also shown a role in decreasing HIV reservoir.

CONCLUSIONS

The review shows that ICI appears to be feasible in this specific population. Efficacy and tolerability seemed to be comparable with that of general population with advanced cancers.