Clinical characterization and treatment outcomes of follicular cutaneous immune-related adverse events caused by immune checkpoint inhibitors: A multicenter retrospective study

Abstract

Acneiform rash, rosacea, folliculitis, and hidradenitis suppurativa related to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been limited to anecdotal reports,1,2 hindering the identification of clinical features for an accurate diagnosis and limiting therapeutic strategies. Herein, we characterize these follicular cutaneous immune–related adverse events (cirAEs), describe their management, and analyze the outcomes of dermatologic treatments. Following the ethics regulatory rules, a retrospective multicenter case-series study over a 5-year period between January 2016 and July 2021 was conducted by the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Force of dermatology for cancer patients. A total of 762 medical records of cancer patients treated with ICIs were reviewed from databases held by 11 oncodermatology units to identify patients who were diagnosed with follicular cirAEs.