Encephalitis associated with cancer therapies is a rare but serious complication that can significantly impact patients’ quality of life and it requires prompt identification and management. Over the past two decades, immunotherapy—particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors—has become a cornerstone of cancer treatment, with up to half of metastatic cancer patients in economically developed countries now receiving these therapies. The widespread adoption of immunotherapy has led to improved survival rates and long-term remissions, even in patients with advanced metastatic disease. However, as immune modulators, these therapies can trigger a range of immune-related adverse events, including a variety of novel neurological toxicities. Among these, encephalitis is of particular concern due to its potential severity, which can compromise treatment outcomes. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature on this condition, highlighting optimal diagnostic strategies and management approaches to mitigate the risk of significant morbidity, while also comparing encephalitis induced by immunotherapy with that caused by traditional chemotherapies and targeted oncologic treatments.
与癌症治疗相关的脑炎是一种罕见但严重的并发症，可能显著影响患者生活质量，需要及时识别和处理。过去二十年间，免疫疗法——特别是免疫检查点抑制剂——已成为癌症治疗的基石，在经济发达国家，高达半数转移性癌症患者正在接受此类治疗。免疫疗法的广泛应用显著提高了生存率，甚至使晚期转移性疾病患者获得长期缓解。然而，作为免疫调节剂，这些疗法可能引发一系列免疫相关不良事件，包括多种新型神经毒性反应。其中脑炎因其潜在严重性而备受关注，可能影响治疗结局。本文旨在全面综述该病症的相关文献，重点阐述优化诊断策略与管理方法以降低严重发病风险，同时比较免疫疗法诱导的脑炎与传统化疗及靶向肿瘤治疗所致脑炎的异同。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家