Researchers Identify Biomarkers That May Help to Predict Response to Immunotherapy for Melanoma

Source: The ASCO Post, February 2022

Melanoma is often curable when detected and treated in its early stages. However, the disease can rapidly spread to other organs in the body and become deadly. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed the treatment of certain cancers, including melanoma, and improved patient care.

But despite the availability of immunotherapy, physicians have been unable to predict who will benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors and who will not. Now, a team of researchers has discovered blood biomarkers that can potentially predict patient response to immune checkpoint inhibition. Results from a recent study on the topic were published by Triozzi et al in Clinical Cancer Research.

“When immunotherapy works, it can be very successful and improve overall survival. About 20% to 40% of patients will respond,” said lead author David R. Soto-Pantoja, PhD, of Wake Forest School of Medicine. “But predictive biomarkers are urgently needed to guide treatment decisions and to develop new approaches to therapeutic resistance.”

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