Publications by authors named "Krishnavathana Varatharajalu"

Article Synopsis
  • - Gastrointestinal immune-related adverse events (GI irAEs) are a frequent issue linked to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), impacting various parts of the GI system, including the stomach, liver, and pancreas.
  • - A systematic review was conducted using multiple databases, leading to the analysis of 166 studies focused on GI irAEs, examining their incidence, management strategies, and patient outcomes.
  • - The review covers different types of GI toxicity related to ICIs, including upper GI (like esophagitis), lower GI (such as colitis), and other rare forms, aiming to provide clinicians with insights for better diagnosis and treatment.
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Purpose: Proteasome inhibitors (PIs), which cause cell death via tumor suppressor and pro-apoptotic proteins, are integral to treatment of many hematologic malignancies but are limited by their gastrointestinal adverse effects. Evidence regarding these PI-related adverse effects is scant. In this study, we evaluated gastrointestinal adverse events caused by PIs and compared gastrointestinal toxicities between bortezomib, carfilzomib, and ixazomib.

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While the occurrence of colitis during immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment is recognized as a sign of robust immune activation and correlates with better oncological outcomes, the long-term impact of ICI-mediated colitis on the colonic mucosa has not been studied. We thus aim to describe the colonoscopy and histology findings in patients at a follow-up time of ≥ 6 months post initial colitis event. This retrospective analysis included adult cancer patients diagnosed with ICI colitis at a tertiary cancer center between October 2013 and June 2020.

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Objectives: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can cause immune-related adverse events (irAEs) such as colitis. irAEs can be managed by selective immunosuppressive therapy (SIT) agents such as infliximab and vedolizumab. We aimed to elucidate the incidence of subsequent new irAEs after exposure to SIT by describing patients' clinical course.

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Obesity defined by high body mass index (BMI) has traditionally been associated with gastrointestinal inflammatory processes but has recently been correlated with better survival in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). We sought to investigate the association between BMI and immune-mediated diarrhea and colitis (IMDC) outcomes and whether BMI reflects body fat content on abdominal imaging. This retrospective, single-center study included cancer patients with ICI exposure who developed IMDC and had BMI and abdominal computed tomography (CT) obtained within 30 days before initiating ICI from April 2011 to December 2019.

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Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are efficacious for treating various malignancies. In addition to immune-related adverse events (irAEs), growing evidence suggests that ICIs might also be associated with diverticulitis. We aim to assess the clinical presentations and management of colonic diverticulitis among cancer patients after ICI treatment.

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Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are effective against various malignancies. However, adverse events including diarrhea and colitis can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Recommendations for the management of ICI mediated diarrhea and colitis include steroids and biologics.

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Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment, but are associated with immune-mediated diarrhea and colitis (IMDC). infection (CDI) can cause infectious diarrhea with overlapping symptoms. Thus, we sought to elucidate the characteristics of CDI in patients treated with ICI, in the context of IMDC.

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