Original Investigation

Systemic Glucocorticoid Immunosuppression and Survival Among Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Recipients

JAMA Network Open 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.14323

May 22, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT

Read the full article

Among immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) recipients, how are the timing, dose, and duration of systemic glucocorticoid immunosuppression associated with overall survival?In this cohort study of 39 258 ICI recipients from a multicenter academic cohort and an independent population-level validation cohort, systemic glucocorticoid exposure closer to ICI initiation, at higher doses, and for longer durations was associated with worse overall survival.These findings suggest that when systemic glucocorticoids are necessary for patients receiving ICIs, clinicians should carefully consider timing, dose, and duration.

Corresponding Author: Yevgeniy R. Semenov, MD, MA, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 40 Blossom St, Bartlett Hall 6R, Room 626, Boston, MA 02114 (ysemenov@mgh.harvard.edu).

Link to the article in your story

We encourage you to link out to this article in your story using the link below. It includes an access token that will give free access to the article for your readers up to one year after publication. (The link will be live after the article publishes and embargo is lifted.)

Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Need more information? Contact us.

Editor's Picks