irAE
Medical abbreviation · Hematology and Oncology
| Stands for | Immune-related adverse event |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
irAE stands for Immune-related adverse event, a hematology and oncology abbreviation.
Inflammatory side effect of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, in which the activated immune system attacks normal organs. Common sites are the skin, colon, liver, thyroid, pituitary and lungs, while myocarditis and neurologic irAEs are rare but potentially fatal.
Example: Grade 2 colitis after cycle 3 of ipilimumab-nivolumab: irAE, hold therapy, start prednisone 1 mg/kg.
Usage notes
Management follows ASCO and NCCN guidelines: mild events may be watched while treatment continues, whereas grade 3 or 4 events usually require stopping the drug and high-dose corticosteroids, with infliximab or other immunosuppressants for refractory cases. Endocrine irAEs, such as hypothyroidism or adrenal insufficiency, are often permanent and need lifelong hormone replacement. Combination immunotherapy causes more irAEs than single agents.
Related abbreviations
More hematology and oncology abbreviations
- Hyper-CVAD – Hyperfractionated cyclophosphamide, vincristine, Adriamycin…
- ICANS – Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome
- ICI – Immune checkpoint inhibitor
- IDA – Iron deficiency anemia
- IDC – Invasive ductal carcinoma
- IMRT – Intensity-modulated radiation therapy
- ITP – Immune thrombocytopenia
- JAK2 – Janus kinase 2
- KPS – Karnofsky Performance Status
- KRAS – Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog
- LA – Lupus anticoagulant
- MAHA – Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
See all 144 hematology and oncology abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.