Association of Cancer Immunotherapy with Acute Macular Neuroretinopathy and Diffuse Retinal Venulitis

Importance: Checkpoint inhibition in cancer immunotherapy related to T-cell-driven mechanisms of action associated with acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) and diffuse retinal venulitis, an adverse event not previously described, is reported here. Objective: To describe 2 patients who developed ophthalmologic events after treatment with the programmed death 1 axis inhibitor, atezolizumab. Design, Setting, and Participants: Retrospective review of 2 patients treated with atezolizumab for metastatic breast cancer and colon cancer, respectively, who presented with AMN and diffuse retinal venulitis conducted at 2 tertiary medical centers. Main Outcomes and Measures: Multimodal imaging including near infrared, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography were used to characterize retinal vascular abnormalities. Results: Based on optical coherence tomography and multimodal imaging findings, the clinical diagnosis of AMN associated with diffuse retinal venulitis was made in these 2 patients receiving atezolizumab. Conclusions and Relevance: While only 2 cases of patients receiving the programmed death ligand 1 inhibitor atezolizumab who experienced AMN and diffuse retinal venulitis are described here, these findings suggest that patients receiving programmed death 1 axis inhibitor therapies may need to be monitored for unexpected immune-related ocular toxicity including abnormalities of the microvasculature and large retinal vessels. Further studies might investigate the potential mechanisms of retinal vascular changes associated with these therapies.