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The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer care is becoming increasingly common; however, we are also seeing an increase in ICI-related hepatitis.

This prospective multicenter study, recently published in , evaluated the clinical course of 23 patients who were re-treated with an ICI after experiencing grade 3 or 4 immune-related hepatitis. After restarting the ICI a median of 10 weeks post-hepatitis, a significant proportion of patients (65%) did not experience recurrent ICI-related hepatitis. Of the patients who recurred, most had elevated antinuclear antibodies, which may suggest an underlying autoimmune disease.

Overall, the findings of this study are very promising; however, additional studies are needed, since this study was very small and resuming ICIs may not be appropriate or safe for all patients who experience ICI-related hepatitis.

Michelle Long, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the department of medicine, section of gastroenterology, at Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.

You can read an interview with the lead study author here, and the abstract of the study here.