A Prospective Cohort Study of Adults with Rheumatic Immune Related Adverse Events associated with Cancer Immunotherapies (CanRIO)

Summary

The purpose of this study is to learn more about immune side effects of cancer therapy so that we improve ways to diagnose and treat them.

Immunotherapy medications are revolutionizing cancer treatment. They work by ‘repurposing’ the immune system to fight cancer. Unfortunately, when the immune system is turned on to fight cancer, it can also lead to autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, skin rashes, endocrine disorders, bowel inflammation. Because these autoimmune diseases are caused by the medication they are called, immune-related adverse events. Understanding the mechanisms behind these immune side effects may help us identify strategies to reduce them and allow patients to continue on these life-saving drugs. It also may help us better understand traditional auto-immune diseases not caused by the immunotherapy.

You are being asked to participate in this study because (1) you may be a candidate for a cancer immunotherapy drug, now or in the future, OR (2) you are currently receiving or have received such a drug in the past. We would like to include you in our study, collect information from you through a questionnaire and your regular blood work and investigations at every visit, and follow you over time if you develop a rheumatic immune related side effect or if you already have an auto-immune disease and are treated or will be treated with immunotherapy. All information collected is part of your regular clinical follow-up, the only difference is that we would keep it in a database. Participation in this project will not affect your routine medical care in any way. If you decide to participate, you may still choose to withdraw from the study at any time without any negative consequences to the medical care, education, or other services to which you are entitled or are presently receiving.