Adverse Events Associated With Novel Cancer Therapies

Authors

  • Grace Yin, MD, MPhil Department of Ophthalmology, Ivey Eye Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care, Western University, London, Ontario
  • C. Maya Tong, MD, FRCSC Department of Ophthalmology, Ivey Eye Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care, Western University, London, Ontario

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.58931/cect.2025.4258

Abstract

Advancements in novel anticancer therapeutics have enhanced the precision with which cancerous cells can be selectively identified and destroyed. Breakthroughs in adoptive cell therapy, checkpoint inhibitors, and anti-drug conjugates have been at the forefront of these advancements. The purpose of this review is to highlight the mechanisms of action underlying these novel anticancer therapeutics, provide an overview of their reported ocular adverse effects (AE), and where possible, provide a starting point for ocular AE prophylaxis and management.

Author Biographies

Grace Yin, MD, MPhil , Department of Ophthalmology, Ivey Eye Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care, Western University, London, Ontario

Dr. Grace Yin is currently an ophthalmology resident at the University of Western Ontario. She completed medical school at Queen’s University, and her master’s in global health and epidemiology at Cambridge University.

C. Maya Tong, MD, FRCSC, Department of Ophthalmology, Ivey Eye Institute, St. Joseph’s Health Care, Western University, London, Ontario

Dr. C. Maya Tong is an Assistant Professor at Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University, specializing in cornea, anterior segment, and cataract surgery. After working at the Netherlands Institute for Innovative Ocular Surgery, she completed her Doctor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia followed by Ophthalmology specialization at the University of Alberta and fellowship in adult and pediatric cornea and anterior segment surgery at the University of Montreal. Dr.Tong has a particular interest in global ophthalmology, having provided surgical eye care in Yellowknife, Mongolia, India, and Cameroon.

References

Sarwar S, Riaz U, Ali A, Kailash SJ. Adverse events associated with chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy in ophthalmology: a narrative review. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2024;86(7):4035–4041. doi:10.1097/ms9.0000000000002188 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/MS9.0000000000002188

Frey C, Cherniawsky H, Etminan M. Ocular adverse events following CAR-T cell therapy: a pharmacovigilance study and systematic review. Eur J Haematol. 2024;113(1):66–71. doi:10.1111/ejh.14208 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ejh.14208

Morris EC, Neelapu SS, Giavridis T, Sadelain M. Cytokine release syndrome and associated neurotoxicity in cancer immunotherapy. Nat Rev Immunol. 2022;22(2):85–96. doi:10.1038/s41577-021-00547-6 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-021-00547-6

Betof Warner A, Corrie PG, Hamid O. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy in melanoma: facts to the future. Clin Cancer Res. 2023;29(10):1835–1854. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.Ccr-22-1922 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-22-1922

Yeh S, Karne NK, Kerkar SP, Heller CK, Palmer DC, Johnson LA, et al. Ocular and systemic autoimmunity after successful tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte immunotherapy for recurrent, metastatic melanoma. Ophthalmology. 2009;116(5):981–989.e981. doi:10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.12.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2008.12.004

Dalvin LA, Shields CL, Orloff M, Sato T, Shields JA. CHECKPOINT INHIBITOR IMMUNE THERAPY: systemic indications and ophthalmic side effects. Retina. 2018;38(6):1063–1078. doi:10.1097/iae.0000000000002181 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0000000000002181

Zhou YW, Xu Q, Wang Y, Xia RL, Liu JY, Ma XL. Immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated ophthalmic adverse events: current understanding of its mechanisms, diagnosis, and management. Int J Ophthalmol. 2022;15(4):646–656. doi:10.18240/ijo.2022.04.19 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18240/ijo.2022.04.19

Martens A, Schauwvlieghe PP, Madoe A, Casteels I, Aspeslagh S. Ocular adverse events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, a scoping review. J Ophthalmic Inflamm Infect. 2023;13(1):5. doi:10.1186/s12348-022-00321-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12348-022-00321-2

Eaton JS, Miller PE, Mannis MJ, Murphy CJ. Ocular adverse events associated with antibody-drug conjugates in human clinical trials. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther. 2015;31(10):589–604. doi:10.1089/jop.2015.0064 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/jop.2015.0064

Dy GK, Farooq AV, Kang JJ. Ocular adverse events associated with antibody-drug conjugates for cancer: evidence and management strategies. Oncologist. 2024;29(11):e1435–e1451. doi:10.1093/oncolo/oyae177 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oncolo/oyae177

Méndez-Martínez S, Calvo P, Ruiz-Moreno O, Pardiñas Barón N, Leciñena Bueno J, Del Rocío G, et al. Ocular adverse events associated with MEK inhibitors. National Library of Medicine; 2019 [cited 30 June 2025]. Available from: www.clinicaltrials.gov. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0000000000002451

Liu CY, Francis JH, Brodie SE, Marr B, Pulido JS, Marmor MF, et al. Retinal toxicities of cancer therapy drugs: biologics, small molecule inhibitors, and chemotherapies. Retina. 2014;34(7):1261–1280. doi:10.1097/iae.0000000000000242 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/IAE.0000000000000242

Castillejo Becerra CM, Smith WM, Dalvin LA. Ophthalmic adverse effects of BRAF inhibitors. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2022:11206721221132872. doi:10.1177/11206721221132872 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/11206721221132872

Choe CH, McArthur GA, Caro I, Kempen JH, Amaravadi RK. Ocular toxicity in BRAF mutant cutaneous melanoma patients treated with vemurafenib. Am J Ophthalmol. 2014;158(4):831–837.e832. doi:10.1016/j.ajo.2014.07.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajo.2014.07.003

Basti S. Ocular toxicities of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors and their management. Cancer Nurs. 2007;30(4 Suppl 1):S10–16. doi:10.1097/01.Ncc.0000281759.23823.82 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NCC.0000281759.23823.82

Shin E, Lim DH, Han J, Nam DH, Park K, Ahn MJ, et al. Markedly increased ocular side effect causing severe vision deterioration after chemotherapy using new or investigational epidermal or fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors. BMC Ophthalmol. 2020;20(1):19. doi:10.1186/s12886-019-1285-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-019-1285-9

Fu C, Gombos DS, Lee J, George GC, Hess K, Whyte A, et al. Ocular toxicities associated with targeted anticancer agents: an analysis of clinical data with management suggestions. Oncotarget. 2017;8(35):58709–58727. doi:10.18632/oncotarget.17634 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.17634

Chelala E, Hoyek S, Arej N, Kattan J, Kourie HR, Baakliny J, et al. Ocular and orbital side effects of ALK inhibitors: a review article. Future Oncol. 2019;15(16):1939–1945. doi:10.2217/fon-2018-0608 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2018-0608

Downloads

Published

2025-08-11

How to Cite

1.
Yin G, Tong CM. Adverse Events Associated With Novel Cancer Therapies. Can Eye Care Today [Internet]. 2025 Aug. 11 [cited 2025 Aug. 18];4(2):4–10. Available from: https://canadianeyecaretoday.com/article/view/4-2-Yin_et_al

Issue

Volume 4, Issue 2, Summer 2025

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Canadian Eye Care Today

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.