Predicting Immunotherapy Responses: Findings Reveal Strategies to Anticipate Results
Every year, advancements in medical research lead to the discovery of novel treatments for cancer, one of which is immunotherapy. However, not all individuals or cancer types are suited for this treatment method. In a recent study published in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers from Johns Hopkins University have identified a specific subset of tumor mutations, known as "persistent mutations," which indicate a receptiveness to immunotherapy.
According to the researchers, these persistent mutations, which are always present in a cancer tumor, allow the cancer cells to remain visible to the body's immune system. This visibility enhances the immune system's ability to identify and destroy the cancer cells, particularly in the context of immune checkpoint blockade, leading to sustained immunologic tumor control and potentially longer survival.
Typically, doctors use the total number of mutations in a tumor, called the tumor mutation burden (TMB), to try to predict how well a tumor will respond to immunotherapy. However, the researchers found that the number of persistent mutations more accurately determines tumor receptiveness to immunotherapy compared to the overall TMB.
The team believes that identifying these persistent mutations may help doctors more accurately select patients for immunotherapy and better predict the outcomes from the treatment. Currently, immunotherapy is used as a treatment for breast cancer, melanoma, leukemia, and non-small cell lung cancer. Researchers are also looking at its potential use for other types of cancer, including prostate, brain, and ovarian cancer.
When asked about the study's implications, Dr. Kim Margolin, a medical oncologist and medical director of the Saint John's Cancer Institute Melanoma Program at Providence Saint John's Health Center in California, said, "It's likely that in the near future, high-throughput, next-generation sequencing techniques will be used to study patients' mutational spectrum, categorizing patients by their likelihood of response to immunotherapy for advanced cancer, or their likelihood of benefit from adjuvant therapy for patients who are apparently disease-free after definitive surgery."
In summary, the researchers from Johns Hopkins University have identified a specific subset of mutations in a cancer tumor that indicates its receptiveness to immunotherapy. The persistent mutations help the cancer tumor remain visible to the body's immune system, allowing for a better response to immunotherapy. These findings may help doctors more accurately select patients for immunotherapy and better predict treatment outcomes.
- The research published in Nature Medicine reveals that a specific subset of tumor mutations, known as "persistent mutations," can make a cancer tumor more receptive to immunotherapy.
- These persistent mutations, always present in a cancer tumor, cause the cancer cells to remain visible to the body's immune system, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
- In contrast to the overall tumor mutation burden (TMB), the number of persistent mutations in a tumor can more accurately determine its receptiveness to immunotherapy treatments.
- Identifying these persistent mutations might aid doctors in more accurately selecting patients for immunotherapy and predicting treatment outcomes, thus expanding the application of immunotherapy in diseases such as breast cancer, melanoma, leukemia, non-small cell lung cancer, and potentially other types like prostate, brain, and ovarian cancer.
