Dr. Zibelman on Managing Immune-Related Adverse Events

Matthew R. Zibelman, MD, assistant professor, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, advisory committee of the Association of Community Cancer Centers, discusses the management of immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

An initiative is looking at the management of these AEs. The idea of the workshop is to help offer guidance and educational initiatives with the intention of improving patient outcomes following immunotherapy—generally with checkpoint inhibitors as they are used most commonly, says Zibelman.

The goal of a workshop being conducted by the Association of Community Cancer Centers Immuno-Oncology Institute is to provide interventions of education both to patients, as well as to staff and faculty, to improve their understanding of the relationship between AEs and patient outcomes. As part of the workshop, 2 cancer centers have been selected to participate with the program. This will offer education to patients and physicians alike, says Zibelman.

Zibelman explains that this will take the form of tumor boards. Members of the committee will monitor the centers to see whether there are improvements in how physicians manage their patients, how they recognize these side effects, and how they treat them. The ultimate goal is to show that these interventions can make a difference and can be used and repurposed for other organizations as well.