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Predictive Immune Modeling of Solid Tumors
Published on: February 25, 2020
Predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: from tumor microenvironment to macroenvironment
Saiwei Huang1, Yelin Liang1, Na Liu2
1Department of Radiation Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
Abstract:
The introduction of PD-1 blockades to chemotherapy and radiotherapy has shown promising outcomes in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, but anti-PD-1 therapies are only effective in a small proportion of patients, indicating the need for reliable predictive biomarkers of benefit from immunotherapy. Here, we summarized recent advances in immunotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma and studies on potential predictors that correlated with treatment response or long-term survival after immunotherapy, including biomarkers in both the tumor microenvironment and the tumor macroenvironment. Some of these biomarkers have been validated as truly predictive of immunotherapy benefit using cohorts from randomized controlled trials, while others still require further validation of their predictive value. We also summarized the challenges and future directions of biomarker studies, hopefully facilitating the development of predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy that can eventually enter clinical practice.
Insights
Identifying reliable biomarkers is crucial for predicting which nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients benefit from immunotherapy. This review explores current advances and challenges in predictive biomarker research for immunotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunotherapy
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Immunotherapy, including PD-1 blockade, combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, shows promise for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).
- However, only a subset of patients respond to anti-PD-1 therapies, highlighting the need for predictive biomarkers.
- Identifying these biomarkers is essential for optimizing treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in immunotherapy for NPC.
- To summarize potential predictive biomarkers for immunotherapy response and survival in NPC patients.
- To discuss challenges and future directions in biomarker development for clinical application.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent advances in NPC immunotherapy.
- Analysis of studies identifying biomarkers in the tumor microenvironment and macroenvironment.
- Evaluation of biomarker validation in randomized controlled trials.
Main Results:
- Several biomarkers in the tumor microenvironment and macroenvironment show correlation with immunotherapy response or survival.
- Some biomarkers have been validated in randomized controlled trials, while others require further investigation.
- Current research identifies potential predictors but emphasizes the need for robust validation.
Conclusions:
- Predictive biomarkers are essential for selecting NPC patients who will benefit from immunotherapy.
- Further validation of identified biomarkers is necessary before clinical implementation.
- Continued research into predictive biomarkers will facilitate personalized immunotherapy for NPC.
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