Neurologic disease activity in people with multiple sclerosis treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Abstract

Background:

There is concern that immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPIs) can provoke relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS).

Objective:

Analyze outcomes of pwMS who received ICPI treatment for malignancy.

Methods:

We electronically identified pwMS who received ICPI treatment at Mass General Brigham hospital system. We retrospectively obtained information about patients’ MS, cancer, treatment, and outcomes.

Results:

Sixteen patients were identified with an average (standard deviation (SD)) age of 67.4 (11.9) years. Eleven (68.8%) had no relapses since MS diagnosis. None had MS relapses after ICPI treatment or new MS lesions.

Conclusion:

ICPI use was not associated with increased clinical disease activity in this cohort of older patients with inactive MS.