Predicting response to pembrolizumab in metastatic melanoma by a new personalization algorithm

Source: MDLinx, October 2019

Researchers sought to develop a new personalization algorithm that may assist in predicting time to disease progression in metastatic melanoma under pembrolizumab treatment. A simple mathematical model for the interactions of an advanced melanoma tumor with both the immune system and the immunotherapy drug, pembrolizumab was developed and was implemented in an algorithm that, in conjunction with clinical pretreatment data, may allow prediction of the personal patient response to the drug. Clinical data of 54 patients with advanced melanoma, who had been treated by pembrolizumab, were obtained and personal pretreatment measurements were correlated to the mathematical model parameters, to develop the algorithm.