Aim: This paper presents the reported dermatological adverse events (AEs) associated with approved combinations of immunotherapy with drugs of the same class, or in combination with targeted therapy or chemotherapy. Materials & methods: PubMed was used as an electronic database, and a total of 29 articles were reviewed which reported dermatological AEs following combination therapies with nivolumab, ipilimumab, axitinib, pembrolizumab, lenvatinib, avelumab, atezolizumab, carboplatin, etoposide, paclitaxel, bevacizumab, pemetrexed, cisplatin and durvalumab. Results: The dermatological AEs reported were mutually inclusive and the highest incidence of specific AEs was seen in the following combinations: rash in the nivolumab/ipilimumab and lenvatinib/pembrolizumab combinations, pruritus in the atezolizumab/nab-paclitaxel combination, dry skin and palmar–plantar erythrodysesthesia in the axitinib/pembrolizumab combination, and alopecia and severe skin reactions in the pembrolizumab/carboplatin/paclitaxel combination. Conclusion: Knowledge of such side effects is of benefit when choosing an optimal treatment regimen and should be integrated into the monitoring and follow-up phases of treatment.

Keywords:

Papers of special note have been highlighted as: • of interest; •• of considerable interest

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Vol. 14, No. 6

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Received 6 September 2021

Accepted 4 February 2022

Published online 2 March 2022

Published in print April 2022

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Keywords

Author contributions

A Salloum, J Abi Chebl, K Abi Chebl: conception and design. A Salloum, C Atallah, K Abi Chebl, J Abi Chebl: acquisition of data. A Salloum, M Habre, G Medawar, H Kourie, J Abi Chebl, K Abi Chebl, C Atallah: interpretation of data. A Salloum, M Habre, G Medawar, H Kourie, J Abi Chebl, K Abi Chebl, C Atallah: writing the manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants, or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

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