Joint Pain Or Inflammatory Arthritis After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are monoclonal antibody medications most often used to treat cancer. Joint pain and inflammatory arthritis are common after people start taking them. This study published in June 2025 in The Lancet Rheumatology used a whole-body contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test to examine MRI patterns in 60 patients with joint pain or inflammatory arthritis and 20 healthy adults. Joints in the shoulders and hands were most frequently affected. The authors found three distinct inflammatory imaging patterns on the MRIs of patients: peripheral inflammatory arthritis involving inflammation of the joints in the arms and legs (37% of patients), polymyalgia rheumatica, including muscle pain and stiffness usually in the neck, shoulders and hips (12% of patients), and the combination of both (in 20% of patients), which often requires treatment. The authors conclude that people should carefully consider risks and benefits of these medications.
