Risk factors and mechanisms of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) - including ipilimumab, nivolumab, and atezolizumab has demonstrated remarkable clinical efficacy in cancer therapy. However, due to the activation of the immune system, ICIs can also precipitate immune-related adverse events (irAEs) across multiple organ systems. Among these toxicities, checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (CIP) is uncommon but carries substantial mortality and poses notable diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. In this review, we summarize the current advances regarding the risk factors and mechanisms of CIP and provide an overview of its incidence and mortality, imaging characteristics, diagnostic approaches, and treatment strategies.