Combining Genomic Biomarkers to Guide Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
We recently published results of a collaborative effort studying the value of whole genome sequencing for precision immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In recent years, PD-1 blockers have transformed the standard of care for this disease, showing impressive results in some patients. Yet, the majority of patients with NSCLC do not respond to these treatments and hence suffer from overtreatment, resulting in unnecessary toxicity for patients and high costs for our health care systems. To address these challenges, we studied 254 patients with NSCLC to determine if a comprehensive DNA test could be used to identify the resistant patients already before treatment was initiated. Here, we successfully discovered and validated a combinatorial biomarker strategy to identify a large subgroup of patients with ultralow response rates, which has clear potential to guide treatment for this disease.
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