Cellular Alterations in Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy-Related Cardiac Dysfunction

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has emerged as a pivotal advancement in cancer treatment, but the widespread adoption has given rise to a growing number of reports detailing significant cardiovascular toxicity. This review concentrates on elucidating the mechanisms behind ICI-related cardiovascular complications, emphasizing preclinical and mechanistic data.

Accumulating evidence indicates a more significant role of immune checkpoints in maintaining cardiac integrity than previously understood, and new key scientific data are available to improve our understanding of ICI-related cardiovascular toxicity, including hidden cardiotoxicity. New avenues for innovative concepts are hypothesized, and opportunities to leverage the knowledge from ICI-therapy for pioneering approaches in related scientific domains can be derived from the latest scientific projects.

Cardiotoxicity from ICI therapy is a paramount challenge for cardio-oncology. Understanding the underlying effects builds the foundation for tailored cardioprotective approaches in the growing collective at risk for severe cardiovascular complications.