Clinical Focus ›› 2022, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (7): 591-598.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1004-583X.2022.07.002

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Meta analysis on effects of glucocorticoid on the immunotherapy of advanced cancer

Ye Qiana, Ling Zhaia, Liu Shenxianga, Lu Guotaob, Yin Xudonga()   

  1. a. Department of Oncology,Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University,Yangzhou,225100,China
    b. Department of Gastroenterology,Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University,Yangzhou,225100,China
  • Received:2021-02-06 Online:2022-07-20 Published:2022-08-30
  • Contact: Yin Xudong E-mail:090005@yzu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the application of glucocorticoid on the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the cancer patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Methods PubMed, Wiley, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were applied to search the papers for effects of GC on cancer patients during the therapy period of receiving ICIs published prior to October 2020. Review Manager 5.3 software and Stata 14.0 software were used for statistical analysis. Results A total of 23 studies were included in the meta analysis, Meta-analysis showed that for patients with advanced cancer during the period of ICIs, the application of GC was a risk factor for death ( H R=1.54, 95% C I=1.29-1.83) and disease progression ( H R=1.82, 95% C I=1.36-2.43). Moreover, the subgroup analysis showed that GC applied to relief tumor-related complications including the cerebraledema and cancer pain increased the risk of death ( H R=2.14, 95% C I=1.62-2.81) and disease progression ( H R=2.26, 95% C I=1.72-2.96). While GC was used to treat non-tumor-related complications including immune-related adverse events (irAEs), and the difference between the use of GC and no-use or low dose of GC (<10 mg/d) wasn’t statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusion The application of GC has negative effects on the prognosis of cancer patients receiving immunotherapy when it is used to treat tumor-related complications.

Key words: glucocorticoids, cancer, immune checkpoint inhibitors, prognosis

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