Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer treatment, yet patient experiences related to safety, access, and long-term impact are often lacking in conventional research. Social media offers valuable insights to address this gap and inform value-based care. This study characterizes social media conversations on ICIs, focusing on treatment experiences, safety concerns, access, affordability and emotional impact.
METHODS: A retrospective social media listening analysis was conducted using Talkwalker (January 2025 to January 2026). Publicly available social media posts were identified using a predefined ICI topic and analysed by 5 organized themes (15-sub-theme): (1) awareness, understanding & information; (2) help-seeking, diagnosis & access; (3) treatment, decision-making & journey; (4) burden, quality of life & support; and (5) prevention, monitoring, research & system experience. Post volumes, sentiment drivers, and qualitative insights were assessed for each theme and sub-themes.
RESULTS: A total of 4,96,600 relevant ICI-related posts were analysed. Overall, 27.8% posts had positive sentiment, 9.2% had negative, and 63.1% were neutral, reflecting information-seeking and experience-sharing. Most content originated from the United States (52%), published in English (77.2%), and appeared on Twitter/X and online news platforms. Awareness discussions highlighted optimism around immunotherapy innovation alongside uncertainty about long-term safety. Help-seeking, diagnosis & access accounted for the largest share (112,400 posts), predominantly neutral, with 13.5% positive and 4.1% negative sentiment, reflecting access and affordability concerns. Treatment decision-making (16,000 posts) showed higher positivity (26.6%), balanced by toxicity-related discussions. Quality-of-life impacts included physical, emotional, and financial burden. Prevention, monitoring & system experience (50,900 posts) demonstrated the highest positive sentiment (36.7%), alongside scepticism and calls for earlier diagnosis and improved monitoring.
CONCLUSIONS: This social listening study revealed optimism around ICI benefits alongside concerns on safety, access, emotional well-being, and trust, highlighting the need for patient-centred communication, affordability, and long-term management strategies.