Identification of Rare Autoimmune Events following administration of Immunotherapy Drugs (IRAE-ID)

More than 80% of cancer patients who undergo immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy experience immune related adverse events (irAEs), including autoimmunity, following treatment. While there has been significant research into the cellular, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms of irAE, few biomarkers of irAE have been identified, making it challenging for clinicians to provide targeted therapies that reduce immunotoxicity while maintaining successful treatment outcomes. Interestingly, autoimmunity has been proposed as a biomarker of successful therapy and durable remission, but irreversible autoimmune damage is an undesirable outcome with long term consequences that would be preferable to avoid.