AUTHOR=Pan Lei , Meng Fanqi , Wang Wei , Wang Xu-hao , Shen Hui , Bao Pengchen , Kang Jian , Kong Delei TITLE=Nintedanib in an elderly non-small-cell lung cancer patient with severe steroid-refractory checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis: A case report and literature review JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1072612 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.1072612 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=

Immune checkpoint inhibitors tremendously improve cancer prognosis; however, severe-grade immune-related adverse events may cause premature death. Current recommendations for checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP) treatment are mainly about immunosuppressive therapy, and anti-fibrotic agents are also needed, especially for patients with poor response to corticosteroids and a longer pneumonitis course. This is because fibrotic changes play an important role in the pathological evolution of CIP. Here, we report a case demonstrating that nintedanib is a promising candidate drug for CIP management or prevention, as it has potent anti-fibrotic efficacy and a safety profile. Moreover, nintedanib could partially inhibit tumor growth in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, and its efficacy can be improved in combination with other anti-tumor therapies.