Cancer patients may have a new thing to worry about: kidney injury. A new study shows that patients who take immunotherapy drugs as part of their cancer treatment regimen are at risk of suffering from an acute kidney injury.
About Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Many cancer patients are prescribed immune checkpoint inhibitors. These medications help boost the immune system’s response against specific types of cancer. However, they may also cause damage to other organs in the body, like the kidneys. Researchers recently analyzed the potential damage to kidneys associated with the use of these medicines.
About the Study
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital examined data for all patients who received immune checkpoint inhibitor medications at the hospital for a five-year period of time. Researchers wanted to determine how frequent and severe the patients’ acute kidney injury was, as well as if there were predictors that such an injury would occur after taking these medications. Researchers analyzed data relating to more than 1,000 patients as part of the study.
The study is published online.
Study Findings
Researchers found that 17% of patients who took immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cancer suffered from an acute kidney injury. 8% of these patients experienced sustained acute kidney injury and 3% suffered from potential immune checkpoint inhibitor related acute kidney injury.
Out of 1,016 patients, the following suffered from some type of acute kidney injury:
- 169 patients experienced an acute kidney injury
- 82 patients experienced a sustained acute kidney injury
- 30 patients experienced potential immune checkpoint inhibitor-related acute kidney injury
- 16 patients experienced stage 3 acute kidney injury
- 4 patients required dialysis
The average amount of time for a sustained acute kidney injury to occur was 106 days after patients started their drug therapy.
Researchers also found that using proton pump inhibitors was connected to a higher risk of experiencing a sustained acute kidney injury. These drugs are often prescribed to treat stomach ulcers or acid reflux.
Effect of the Findings
Researchers believe that the findings will be critical in maintaining the kidney health of patients who are prescribed immune checkpoint inhibitors. Researchers urge nephrologists and oncologists to acknowledge the link of these medications to acute kidney injury so that they can explain this information to their cancer patients who are receiving immunotherapy treatment for cancer. Researchers noted that nephrologists would likely be increasingly requested to determine the cause of acute kidney injury in patients who are on these medications. They conclude that an accurate diagnosis will have a significant effect on a patient’s immunotherapy treatment moving forward.
An editorial was also completed to accompany the study to discuss the strengths and limitations of the study. It emphasizes that additional research is needed on this subject.
Informed Consent
Patients have the right to be active in their healthcare. Healthcare providers have a legal duty to inform patients of the potential benefits, risks and alternatives to any proposed course of treatment so that the patient can make an informed decision about whether to accept or deny the proposed treatment.
Physicians are required to discuss and explain the following information to patients:
- Their diagnosis
- The nature and purpose of the proposed treatment
- The potential benefits of the proposed treatment
- The potential risks of the proposed treatment
- Possible alternatives of the proposed treatment, including their potential benefits and risks
- The potential risks and benefits of not receiving the proposed treatment
Additionally, physicians must make sure that patients understand this information and not just that they hear it.
If a doctor does not receive informed consent when it is required and the patient is injured, the patient may have a basis for a medical malpractice claim. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can discuss the specific facts concerning your claim during a free consultation. Contact us today to schedule your free case review.
