Concomitant use of analgesics and immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: A pharmacodynamics perspective

The invention of immunotherapy, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), has become a new standard of care for a defined group of NSCLC patients. However, the possible impacts of ICI interactions with analgesics for alleviating cancer-related pain are unclear and lack clinical evidence. Many studies have indicated that opioids detrimentally affect the immune system, possibly harming...