Immunotherapy-induced Adverse Events: Mechanisms, Management, and Clinical Strategies

Submission Deadline: 30 September 2026 View: 993 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. Dr. Stergios Boussios 

Email: stergiosboussios@gmail.com

Affiliation: 1. Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, 45110 Greece

2. Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care, Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, CT1 1QU, UK

3. School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London, London, WC2R 2LS, UK

4. Kent Medway Medical School, University of Kent, Canterbury. CT2 7NY, UK

5. Consultant Medical Oncologist, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Canterbury, ME7 5NY, UK

6. Research & Innovation Department, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Canterbury, ME7 5NY, UK

7. Associate Royal College Tutor in Medicine, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Canterbury, ME7 5NY, UK

Homepage:

Research Interests: prostate cancer; renal cancer; ovarian cancer; homologous recombination of DNA; PARP inhibitors; cervical cancer; carcinoma of unknown primary; colorectal cancer; cancer and autoimmune diseases; biomarkers

Prof. Dr. Saak V. Ovsepian

Email: saak.ovsepian@gmail.com

Affiliation: 1. Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich London, London, SE10 9LS, UK

2. Faculty of Medicine, Tbilisi State University, Tbilisi, 0179, Republic of Georgia

Homepage:

Research Interests: neurobiology, translational biology, cancer research, biomarkers, diagnostics and precision medicine

Summary

Immunotherapy has transformed the treatment landscape for a wide range of cancers by harnessing the body's immune system to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. However, its clinical benefits are often accompanied by immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which may vary in severity from mild to potentially life-threatening. These toxicities arise from unintended immune activation against healthy tissues and can involve nearly any organ system, with the skin, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and endocrine glands being among the most commonly affected. Although the precise mechanisms driving irAEs remain incompletely understood, they are thought to stem from heightened immune cell activation induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors and a breakdown in self-tolerance. Management of irAEs requires a multifaceted approach that includes early recognition, careful monitoring, and prompt initiation of immunosuppressive therapies such as corticosteroids, which remain first-line treatment. In refractory cases, escalation to biologic or other immune-modulating agents may be necessary. As the use of immunotherapy continues to expand, advancing strategies to predict, prevent, and effectively manage irAEs is essential for optimizing patient outcomes. This Special Issue seeks to gather manuscripts exploring the pathophysiological mechanisms of immunotherapy-induced adverse events, current management practices, and emerging clinical strategies, with an emphasis on personalized approaches to patient care and monitoring.

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