Management and nursing strategies for different patterns of adverse events in patients with urological cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to explore the patterns of treatment-related adverse events (AEs) associated with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy and to summarize the corresponding management and nursing strategies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 69 patients with malignant urological tumors who received ICI treatment between June 2019 and October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, and AEs that occurred during treatment were observed and reported. Based on the different types of treatment, the patients were divided into ICI monotherapy, ICI plus chemotherapy, and ICI plus TKI therapy groups. Subgroup analysis was performed. The incidence, distribution, and severity of AEs in the different subgroups were evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 138 AEs occurred in 69 patients, among which grade 1 plus 2, and grade 3 plus 4 AEs accounted for 78.99% and 21.01%, respectively. The incidence of AEs per patient in the ICI-TKI therapy group was the highest (3.75 times/person), followed by the ICI-chemotherapy (2.33 times/person) and ICI monotherapy (0.82 times/person) groups. Specific AEs, such as fatigue, nausea, and myelosuppression, were much more common in the ICI-gemcitabine and cisplatin group, whereas renal injury, skin lesions, and diarrhea were most common ones in the ICI-TKI group.

CONCLUSIONS

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are new treatment options for advanced urological tumors and renal cell carcinoma. Distinctive AE patterns were observed among the different treatment groups. Therefore, strict and meticulous clinical management and nursing measures are required to ensure the safety of patients receiving ICI treatment.