Cancer medicine
Safety Profiles of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Strategies in Gastrointestinal Cancers and Their Association With Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
By Lei J, Yu Y, Liu Q and 5 others.
Abstract
Background
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are increasingly used in patients with gastrointestinal cancer (GIC). However, ICI-associated adverse event (AE) profiles in GIC remain poorly characterized, and whether AE incidence is associated with clinical outcomes is unclear.
Methods
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified through February 2025. Primary outcomes included treatment-related AEs (TRAEs) and immune-related AEs (irAEs) (any grade/Grade 3+). Single-arm random-effects meta-analysis pooled AE incidences; risk ratios (RRs) compared toxicity across ICI regimens. Digitized Kaplan-Meier curves reconstructed survival data for pooled analysis and Cox models. Weighted Spearman's tests assessed correlations between AE incidences and median overall survival (OS)/progression-free survival (PFS).