Cardiac biomarkers in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prospective Study of Cardiac Biomarker Elevation in Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (PRIME-ICI Study)
IRAS ID
371043
Contact name
David Austin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are cancer treatments used for many different types of cancer. They are effective treatments, but in rare cases they can cause swelling (inflammation) of the heart muscle which can be serious. This is called myocarditis.
Doctors often use blood tests such as troponin and NT-proBNP to look for possible heart problems. However, these blood tests can also be abnormal for many other reasons in people with cancer, such as infections, kidney problems, blood clots, abnormal heart rhythms, fluid overload or being generally unwell. This can make it difficult to know what an abnormal result means and if it is myocarditis or not.
This study aims to find out how often these heart-related blood tests are abnormal in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment for their cancer. We will look at blood samples taken during routine cancer treatment visits and during hospital admissions or emergency attendances.
We will also review what abnormal results are most likely to mean. For example, we will look at whether the abnormal blood test appears to be related to inflammation of the heart muscle, heart failure or fluid overload, reduced blood supply to the heart, another heart-related problem, a non-heart-related illness, or whether there is not enough information to be sure.
No extra blood tests will be taken for this study. We will use leftover blood from routine blood tests that would otherwise be discarded. These samples will be tested later in batches. The results will not be available at the time of treatment and will not affect patient care.
The study will also collect information from medical records, such as cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment, routine blood results, hospital admissions, heart investigations and outcomes. The results may help doctors understand how to interpret these blood tests more accurately in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in the future.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/PR/0681
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jun 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion