CRS and ICANS

Q: Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS)? 

 Answer: Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is a supraphysiologic acute systemic inflammatory syndrome characterized by fever and multiple organ dysfunction that is associated with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, therapeutic antibodies, and haploidentical allogeneic transplantation. Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that can occur in some patients who are treated with immunotherapy and may or may not accompany CRS. 

 CRS severity is proportional with the disease burden.

#oncology


References:

1. Frey NV, Porter DL. Cytokine release syndrome with novel therapeutics for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program 2016; 2016:567.

2. Lee DW, Santomasso BD, Locke FL, et al. ASTCT Consensus Grading for Cytokine Release Syndrome and Neurologic Toxicity Associated with Immune Effector Cells. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2019; 25:625.