Real-World Data Support Gut Microbiota as an Independent Driver of Response to ICIs in Lung Cancer, Melanoma
Source: Cancer Therapy Advisor, October 2019
According to results of an observational study of patients with metastatic cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (ICIs), prior, but not current, use of antibiotic therapy was associated with a lower response rate to treatment and worse overall survival (OS). The findings from this study were published in JAMA Oncology.1
Recent evidence showed that the composition of the gut microbiota can influence whether patients with advanced cancer respond to ICIs.2 Furthermore, treatment with antibiotics has been previously demonstrated to interfere with the clinical benefit of ICIs in this population of patients.2 Nevertheless, additional studies on the impact of antibiotic therapy on the efficacy of ICIs outside of the clinical trial setting — and in patients with a variety of cancer types — are warranted.
This prospective, multicenter, cohort study included unselected patients with cancer consecutively treated with ICIs at 2 tertiary academic medical centers between January 1, 2015, and April 1, 2018.