Predictive Biomarkers for Checkpoint Immunotherapy: Current Status and Challenges for Clinical Application

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB), especially PD-1 inhibition, has revolutionized cancer therapy, yielding durable responses in various malignancies.
• However, response rates vary significantly, necessitating predictive biomarkers to guide patient selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current and emerging biomarkers for predicting response to ICB therapies.
• To discuss the challenges in validating biomarkers for clinical utility.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of established and novel predictive biomarkers for ICB.
• Analysis of biomarker utility in melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and other malignancies.

Main Results:

• Current biomarkers have limitations; novel candidates are under investigation.
• Biomarker utility is being evaluated in various cancer types, with PD-1 inhibitors standard in some, and PD-L1 inhibitors investigational in others.

Conclusions:

• Predicting ICB response requires moving beyond single biomarkers.
• A combination of biomarkers reflecting host-tumor interactions is likely necessary for reliable prediction of treatment benefit.