Is the onset of immune-related adverse events themselves a prognostic factor or a confounding factor?

A number of retrospective studies have reported that non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have a better prognosis. Most recently, this was demonstrated in a pooled analysis of the IMPOWER130, 132, and 150 trials [1]. However, this paper also showed that the incidence of grade 3 or higher irAEs was associated with a poor prognosis [1], so it is questionable whether the incidence of irAEs themselves is a prognostic factor. Recently, genetic analysis using genome-wide association studies revealed that expression of the rs16906115 gene, located near interleukin-7, is involved in the pathogenesis of irAEs [2].
Source: Lung Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: research