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Updated: Aug 15, 2025
A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies
Published on: April 12, 2017
Biomarkers of Inflammation and Progression During Immunotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma
Martina Spisarova1, Bohuslav Melichar1, Jarmila Juranova2
1Department of Oncology, Palacký University, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, and University Hospital, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Background/Aim:
Biomarkers that would identify patients unlikely to respond to immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remain an unmet medical need.
Patients And Methods:
In the present study, we have retrospectively evaluated the association between biomarkers of immune activation and outcome in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients treated with ICIs. The laboratory and clinical data of 79 consecutive patients with histologically confirmed mRCC treated with ICI-based immunotherapy have been analyzed.
Results:
Patients who progressed or died at 4 months had higher prognostic score, higher serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and neopterin, and urinary neopterin, and lower serum albumin and hemoglobin concentration.
Conclusion:
Biomarkers of activation of immune response, in particular serum neopterin/creatinine ratio, are associated with outcome in mRCC patients treated with ICI immunotherapy.
Insights
Identifying patients who may not respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is crucial. Biomarkers like serum neopterin can predict outcomes in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients receiving immunotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Identifying non-responders to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a significant challenge in cancer therapy.
- Predictive biomarkers are needed to personalize immunotherapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between immune activation biomarkers and treatment outcomes in mRCC patients receiving ICIs.
- To identify potential biomarkers for predicting response to immunotherapy in mRCC.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of laboratory and clinical data from 79 mRCC patients treated with ICI-based immunotherapy.
- Evaluation of biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP), neopterin, serum albumin, and hemoglobin.
Main Results:
- Patients progressing or dying within 4 months showed higher prognostic scores, elevated serum CRP and neopterin, increased urinary neopterin, and lower serum albumin and hemoglobin.
- Serum neopterin/creatinine ratio emerged as a significant predictor of outcome.
Conclusions:
- Biomarkers reflecting immune response activation are linked to patient outcomes in mRCC treated with ICIs.
- Serum neopterin, particularly the neopterin/creatinine ratio, shows promise as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy response in mRCC.
