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Hot Topics of the Day are picked by experts to capture the latest information and publications on public health genomics and precision health for various diseases and health topics. Sources include published scientific literature, reviews, blogs and popular press articles.

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208 hot topic(s) found with the query "Immunotherapy"

Nucleic acid-based drugs for patients with solid tumours.
Sebastian G Huayamares et al. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024 4 (Posted: Apr 10, 2024 8AM)

From the abstract: "The treatment of patients with advanced-stage solid tumours typically involves a multimodality approach (including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and/or immunotherapy), which is often ultimately ineffective. Nucleic acid-based drugs, either as monotherapies or in combination with standard-of-care therapies, are rapidly emerging as novel treatments capable of generating responses in otherwise refractory tumours. These therapies include those using viral vectors (also referred to as gene therapies), several of which have now been approved by regulatory agencies, and nanoparticles containing mRNAs and a range of other nucleotides. "

Exploiting tumor aneuploidy as a biomarker and therapeutic target in patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade
LF Spurr et al, NPJ Precision Oncology, January 2, 2023 (Posted: Jan 03, 2024 8AM)

From the article: "Tumor mutational burden (TMB) has received considerable attention as a validated biomarker of ICB response, which resulted in the 2020 FDA approval for the use of high TMB (=10 mutations per megabase of DNA) as a tissue-agnostic biomarker for patients treated with pembrolizumab. However, the overall response rate in TMB-high tumors in the study which catalyzed FDA approval was only 29%. Thus, much debate remains regarding how to optimally utilize TMB as a biomarker of ICB response and whether other tumor or host features provide additional predictive value in this setting. Multiple complementary biomarkers have been proposed, including neoantigen load, CD8+ T cell expression signatures, PD-L1 expression, mismatch repair deficiency, and HLA genotype. "

'It's all gone': CAR-T therapy forces autoimmune diseases into remission.
Heidi Ledford et al. Nature 2023 12 (Posted: Dec 13, 2023 7AM)

From the article: "Engineered immune cells have given 15 people with once-debilitating autoimmune disorders a new lease on life, free from fresh symptoms or treatments. The results raise hopes that the approach — called CAR-T-cell therapy — might one day be extended to a variety of other conditions fuelled by rogue immune cells that produce antibodies against the body’s own tissues. "

Computational immunogenomic approaches to predict response to cancer immunotherapies.
Venkateswar Addala et al. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023 11 (Posted: Nov 03, 2023 8AM)

From the abstract: " Cancer immunogenomics is an emerging field that bridges genomics and immunology. The establishment of large-scale genomic collaborative efforts along with the development of new single-cell transcriptomic techniques and multi-omics approaches have enabled characterization of the mutational and transcriptional profiles of many cancer types and helped to identify clinically actionable alterations as well as predictive and prognostic biomarkers. Researchers have developed computational approaches and machine learning algorithms to accurately obtain clinically useful information from genomic and transcriptomic sequencing data. "

Perioperative Durvalumab for Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
John V Heymach et al. N Engl J Med 2023 10 (18) 1672-1684 (Posted: Nov 02, 2023 9AM)

From the abstract: "Neoadjuvant or adjuvant immunotherapy can improve outcomes in patients with resectable non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Perioperative regimens may combine benefits of both to improve long-term outcome. 802 patients were randomly assigned to receive durvalumab (400 patients) or placebo (402 patients). Perioperative durvalumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy was associated with significantly greater event-free survival and pathological complete response than neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone, with a safety profile that was consistent with the individual agents. "

Personalized anti-cancer vaccine combining mRNA and immunotherapy tested in melanoma trial.
Thiago Carvalho et al. Nat Med 2023 9 (10) 2379-2380 (Posted: Oct 19, 2023 2PM)

From the article: "An estimated 325,000 new cases of malignant melanoma were diagnosed worldwide in 2020. The clinical deployment of immune checkpoint inhibitors over the past 12 years has revolutionized melanoma treatment, and the 5-year survival rate in the USA now approaches 95%. However, the frequency of melanoma is increasing, particularly in lighter-skinned people, and for the minority of patients diagnosed with metastatic disease, the 5-year survival rate is 35%, although the introduction of immunotherapy has doubled the median survival time for these patients. "

Molecular Features of Resected Melanoma Brain Metastases, Clinical Outcomes, and Responses to Immunotherapy
HN Vasedevan et al, JAMA Network Open, August 17, 2023 (Posted: Aug 17, 2023 11AM)

What is the translational importance of alteration status in the treatment of melanoma brain metastases? In this cohort study of 94 patients with resected melanoma brain metastases that underwent targeted DNA sequencing, BRAF V600E variant lesions were associated with worse intracranial progression-free survival and overall survival. Single-cell sequencing showed that BRAF V600E variant brain metastases harbored fewer immune cell types; immunotherapy was associated with improved outcomes for patients with BRAF wildtype but not BRAF V600E variant brain metastases.

The Cancer Moonshot Immuno-Oncology Translational Network (IOTN) at age 5: Accelerating Cancer Immunotherapies.
Ananth Annapragada et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 2023 8 (Posted: Aug 14, 2023 1PM)

The IOTN is focused on accelerating translation of cancer immunology research from bench to bedside and improving immunotherapy outcomes across a wide array of cancers. The unique structure and team science approach of the IOTN is designed to accelerate discovery and evaluation of novel immune-based therapeutic and prevention strategies. We describe IOTN progress to date, including new initiatives and the development of a robust set of resources to advance cancer immunology research. We summarize new insights by IOTN researchers, some of which are ripe for translation for several types of cancers.

Towards modulating the gut microbiota to enhance the efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors.
Rebecca C Simpson et al. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023 7 (Posted: Jul 27, 2023 7AM)

The gut microbiota modulates immune processes both locally and systemically. This includes whether and how the immune system reacts to emerging tumours, whether antitumour immune responses are reactivated during treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), and whether unintended destructive immune pathologies accompany such treatment. Advances over the past decade have established that the gut microbiota is a promising target and that modulation of the microbiota might overcome resistance to ICIs.

A new era for glioma therapy - targeting mutant IDH.
David A Reardon et al. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023 7 (Posted: Jul 20, 2023 7AM)

Hotspot point mutations in IDH1 occur in the vast majority of adult grade 2–3 gliomas. The understanding of their role in tumour biology continues to evolve. Therapeutic targeting of mutant IDH1 with vorasidenib demonstrated highly encouraging efficacy and minimal toxicity in a recent, randomized phase III trial involving patients with low-grade gliomas.

Gut OncoMicrobiome Signatures (GOMS) as next-generation biomarkers for cancer immunotherapy.
Andrew Maltez Thomas et al. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023 6 (Posted: Jul 17, 2023 8AM)

In this Review, we discuss how patients with cancer across various subtypes share several GOMS with individuals with seemingly unrelated chronic inflammatory disorders who, in turn, tend to have GOMS different from those of healthy individuals. We discuss findings from the aforementioned meta-analysis of GOMS patterns associated with clinical benefit from or resistance to ICIs across different cancer types (in 808 patients), with a focus on metabolic and immunological surrogate markers of intestinal dysbiosis, and propose practical guidelines to incorporate GOMS in decision-making for prospective clinical trials in immuno-oncology.

Trial Confirms CAR T-Cell Therapy Benefits People with Aggressive Lymphomas
S Reynolds, NCI Blog, July 2023 Brand (Posted: Jul 16, 2023 9AM)

CAR T-cell therapy, a type of personalized immunotherapy, can help cure some people with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). That’s according to updated results from a large randomized phase 3 clinical trial of the CAR T-cell therapy axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta). Most people diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, the most common form of aggressive NHL, will be cured by initial treatment with chemotherapy. But for those who aren’t, the prospects of a cure have been uncertain at best, even with additional grueling chemotherapy and stem cell transplant.

Construction and validation of a gene expression classifier to predict immunotherapy response in primary triple-negative breast cancer
ME Mendez et al, Comm Medicine, July 10, 2023 (Posted: Jul 10, 2023 11AM)

We built machine learning models based on pre-ICI treatment gene expression profiles to construct gene expression classifiers to identify primary TNBC ICI-responder patients. This study involved 188 ICI-naïve and 721 specimens treated with ICI plus chemotherapy, including TNBC tumors, HR+/HER2- breast tumors, and other solid non-breast tumors. The 37-gene TNBC ICI predictive (TNBC-ICI) classifier performs well in predicting pathological complete response (pCR) to ICI plus chemotherapy on an independent TNBC validation cohort (AUC?=?0.86). The TNBC-ICI classifier shows better performance than other molecular signatures, including PD-1 (PDCD1) and PD-L1 (CD274) gene expression (AUC?=?0.67).

Is a Revolution in Cancer Treatment Within Reach?
K Pickert, NY Times, June 16, 2023 (Posted: Jun 19, 2023 1PM)

Right now, two relatively new classes of cancer drugs are displacing traditional chemotherapy for many types of cancer and giving metastatic patients, in particular, more time. Many of these advances employ a person’s own immune system to eliminate cancer cells, rather than using chemotherapy or radiation to do the extinguishing. These are modern immunotherapy drugs and antibody-drug conjugates, or ADCs.

Optimizing cancer immunotherapy response prediction by tumor aneuploidy score and fraction of copy number alterations
TJ Chang et al, NPJ Precision Oncology, June 3, 2023 (Posted: Jun 05, 2023 8AM)

Identifying patients that are likely to respond to cancer immunotherapy is an important, yet highly challenging clinical need. Using 3139 patients across 17 different cancer types, we comprehensively studied the ability of two common copy-number alteration (CNA) scores—the tumor aneuploidy score (AS) and the fraction of genome single nucleotide polymorphism encompassed by copy-number alterations (FGA)—to predict survival following immunotherapy in both pan-cancer and individual cancer types.

Early mortality in patients with cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in routine practice.
Jacques Raphael et al. J Natl Cancer Inst 2023 5 (Posted: May 21, 2023 8AM)

A total of 7,126 patients treated with ICI were evaluated. Fifteen percent (1,075/7,126) died within 60?days of initiating ICI. The highest mortality was observed in patients with bladder and head and neck tumors (˜21% each). In multivariable analysis previous hospital admission or emergency department visit, prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy, stage 4 disease at diagnosis, lower hemoglobin, higher white blood cell count, and higher symptom burden were associated with higher risk of EM.

Personalizing neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint inhibition in patients with melanoma
MW Lucas et al, Nat Rev Clin Oncol, May 2023 (Posted: May 06, 2023 7AM)

Neoadjuvant immune-checkpoint inhibition is a promising emerging treatment approach for patients with surgically resectable macroscopic stage III melanoma. The neoadjuvant setting provides an ideal platform for personalized therapy owing to the very homogeneous nature of the patient population and the opportunity for pathological response assessments within several weeks of starting treatment, thereby facilitating the efficient identification of novel biomarkers.

Assessment of Tumor Mutational Burden and Outcomes in Patients With Diverse Advanced Cancers Treated With Immunotherapy.
Charu Aggarwal et al. JAMA Netw Open 2023 5 (5) e2311181 (Posted: May 03, 2023 6AM)

Is a tumor mutational burden (TMB) biomarker associated with clinical benefit in a cohort of patients with advanced cancer from diverse clinical settings treated with first- or second-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)? In this cohort study of 674 patients with 8 distinct advanced cancer diagnoses, TMB-high cancers were significantly associated with longer overall survival than TMB-low cancers. These findings were robust to the ICI administered and remained significant after adjustment for programmed cell death-ligand 1 and microsatellite instability status.

Insights from a 30-year journey: function, regulation and therapeutic modulation of PD1
K Chamoto et al, Nat Rev Immunology, April 2023 (Posted: Apr 30, 2023 6AM)

PD1 was originally discovered in 1992 as a molecule associated with activation-induced cell death in T cells. Over the past 30 years, it was found that PD1 has a critical role in avoiding overactivation-induced cell death and autoimmunity, whereas its inhibition unleashes anticancer immunity. Here, we outline the journey from the discovery of PD1 to its role as a breakthrough target in cancer immunotherapy.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors - The Need for Innovation.
P Connor Johnson et al. N Engl J Med (16) 1529-1532 (Posted: Apr 20, 2023 11AM)

In the field of oncology, clinical investigations of immune checkpoint inhibitors now predominate. These drugs, delivered as antibody therapies that activate T-lymphocyte–mediated antitumor responses, are the result of seminal studies. Since the immune checkpoint inhibitor ipilimumab was approved for the treatment of melanoma more than a decade ago, regulatory agencies across the world have granted marketing approval for at least 90 additional uses for the more than 11 different versions of these drugs that are available to oncologists.

Personalized vaccine for melanoma may stave off cancer’s return
J Kaiser, Science, April 16, 2023 (Posted: Apr 17, 2023 7AM)

A novel cancer vaccine tailored to genetic changes in a person’s tumor is showing promise in the clinic. In a study of about 150 people who had surgery for melanoma, a type of skin cancer, those given a personalized vaccine along with an immunotherapy drug were more likely to remain free of cancer 18 months later than patients who did not receive the vaccine.

Linking the microbiome to CAR-T cell responses.
Zachariah DeFilipp et al. Nature medicine 2023 3 (Posted: Mar 29, 2023 9AM)

Disruption of the intestinal microbiota is implicated in the pathophysiology of numerous health conditions, and recent studies have identified the gut microbiome as a variable that can impact cancer immunotherapy outcomes. A new study found that the composition of the intestinal microbiome may predict clinical outcomes of CAR-T cell therapy for lymphoma, which could inform microbiota-based intervention strategies.

Prognostic Mutational Signatures of NSCLC Patients treated with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and chemoimmunotherapy.
Margaret R Smith et al. NPJ precision oncology 2023 3 (1) 34 (Posted: Mar 28, 2023 6AM)

Different types of therapy are currently being used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) depending on the stage of tumor and the presence of potentially druggable mutations. However, few biomarkers are available to guide clinicians in selecting the most effective therapy for all patients with various genetic backgrounds. To examine whether patients’ mutation profiles are associated with the response to a specific treatment, we collected comprehensive clinical characteristics and sequencing data from 524 patients with stage III and IV NSCLC.

A non-antibiotic-disrupted gut microbiome is associated with clinical responses to CD19-CAR-T cell cancer immunotherapy
CKS Thoringer et al, Nature Medicine, March 13, 2023 (Posted: Mar 13, 2023 8PM)

Increasing evidence suggests that the gut microbiome may modulate the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In a B cell lymphoma patient cohort from five centers in Germany and the United States (Germany, n?=?66; United States, n?=?106; total, n?=?172), we demonstrate that wide-spectrum antibiotics treatment (‘high-risk antibiotics’) prior to CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy is associated with adverse outcomes, but this effect is likely to be confounded by an increased pretreatment tumor burden and systemic inflammation in patients pretreated with high-risk antibiotics. To resolve this confounding effect and gain insights into antibiotics-masked microbiome signals impacting CAR-T efficacy, we focused on the high-risk antibiotics non-exposed patient population.

Immunotherapy Success for Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancers-Searching for the Horizon.
Emil Lou et al. JAMA oncology 2023 3 (Posted: Mar 09, 2023 8PM)

The current landscape of treatment of patients with metastatic CRC has evolved significantly during the past decade. The most notable change has been the validation and incorporation of testable genomic markers predictive of potential response to targeted therapies; this tailored approach has led to an improvement in overall survival as well as in quality of life for thousands of patients.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Programmed Cell Death-Associated Genes for Tumor Microenvironment Evaluation Promotes Precise Immunotherapy in Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma
Y Huang et al, J Per Med, March 7, 2023 (Posted: Mar 07, 2023 6PM)

We used LASSO algorithm and multiple-cox regression to establish a programmed cell death-associated gene prognostic model. Further, we explored whether this model could evaluate the sensitivity of patients to anti-PD-1/PD-L1. In total, 1342 patients were included. We constructed a programmed cell death model in TCGA cohorts, and the overall survival (OS) was significantly different between the high- and low-risk score groups (HR 2.70; 95% CI 1.94–3.75; p < 0.0001; 3-year OS AUC 0.71). Specifically, this model was associated with immunotherapy progression-free survival benefit in the validation cohort (HR 2.42; 95% CI 1.59–3.68; p = 0.015; 12-month AUC 0.87).

Development and validation of an integrative pan-solid tumor predictor of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade benefit
SA Tomlins et al, Comm Med, February 7, 2023 (Posted: Feb 07, 2023 8AM)

Using treatment data and genomic and transcriptomic tumor tissue profiling from an observational trial, we developed Immunotherapy Response Score (IRS), a pan-tumor predictive model of PD-(L)1 benefit. IRS real-world progression free survival (rwPFS) and overall survival (OS) prediction was validated in an independent cohort of trial patients.

Persistent mutation burden drives sustained anti-tumor immune responses.
Noushin Niknafs et al. Nature medicine 2023 1 (Posted: Jan 27, 2023 7AM)

Tumor mutation burden is an imperfect proxy of tumor foreignness and has therefore failed to consistently demonstrate clinical utility in predicting responses in the context of immunotherapy. We evaluated mutations in regions of the genome that are unlikely to undergo loss in a pan-cancer analysis across 31 tumor types (n?=?9,242) and eight immunotherapy-treated cohorts of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, melanoma, mesothelioma, and head and neck cancer (n?=?524). We discovered that mutations in single-copy regions and those present in multiple copies per cell constitute a persistent tumor mutation burden (pTMB) which is linked with therapeutic response to immune checkpoint blockade.

Adoption of Innovative Therapies Across Oncology Practices-Evidence From Immunotherapy.
Carroll Caitlin E et al. JAMA oncology 2023 1 (Posted: Jan 11, 2023 6AM)

In this cohort study of 71?659 Medicare claims from 1732 oncology practices, most practices adopted immunotherapy within 2 years of FDA approval, but adoption was not equal across practice types: adoption was lower at rural vs urban practices and small vs large practices. Adoption was similar at independent practices and nonacademic systems, but both had lower adoption than practices that were part of academic systems. Results of the study suggest that adoption of immunotherapy has been rapid but uneven across oncology practices.

Cancer immunotherapy: the quest for better biomarkers.
et al. Nature medicine 2022 12 (12) 2437 (Posted: Jan 02, 2023 0PM)

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) that block the immunoinhibitory receptor PD-1 and its ligand PD-L1 or the immunomodulatory receptor CTLA-4 have had a transformational impact on the care of patients with cancer, offering curative potential for patients who until recently had no suitable therapeutic options. It is now becoming clear that many patients who receive ICIs do not benefit from treatment but remain at risk for potentially serious immune-related adverse events. Expanding the benefit of ICIs to more patients and limiting the impact of their adverse effects will require better biomarkers of response and toxicity.

Germline variants associated with toxicity to immune checkpoint blockade.
Groha Stefan et al. Nature medicine 2022 12 (Posted: Dec 19, 2022 8AM)

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have yielded remarkable responses but often lead to immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Although germline causes for irAEs have been hypothesized, no individual variant associated with developing irAEs has been identified. We carried out a genome-wide association study of 1,751 patients on ICIs across 12 cancer types. We identified 3 genome-wide significant associations (P?<?5?×?10-8) in the discovery cohort associated with all-grade irAEs: rs16906115 near IL7 (combined P?=?3.6?×?10-11; hazard ratio (HR)?=?2.1); rs75824728 near IL22RA1 (combined P?=?3.5?×?10-8; HR?=?1.8); and rs113861051 on 4p15 (combined P?=?1.2?×?10-8, HR?=?2.0); rs16906115 was replicated in 3 independent studies.

A refined use of mutations to guide immunotherapy decisions
C Cheng et al, Nature, December 19, 2022 (Posted: Dec 19, 2022 8AM)

Immunotherapy harnesses the immune system to target tumour cells,and is used to treat several types of cancer. The therapy targets ‘immune checkpoint’ proteins, such as the protein PD-1, that can dampen immune responses. However, only a subset of people respond to treatment with what are called immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Assessment of a tumour’s mutational profile offers a way of predicting a person’s response to anticancer therapies called immune-checkpoint inhibitors. It seems that such approaches might fall short for people who are not of European ancestry.

Tumor aneuploidy predicts survival following immunotherapy across multiple cancers.
Spurr Liam F et al. Nature genetics 2022 11 (Posted: Nov 29, 2022 11AM)

Tumor mutational burden (TMB) has emerged as a promising biomarker of immunotherapy response across multiple cancer types; however, clinical outcomes among patients with low TMB tumors are heterogeneous. Herein, we demonstrate that tumor aneuploidy provides independent prognostic value among patients with lower TMB (<80th percentile) tumors treated with immunotherapy. A higher aneuploidy score is associated with poor prognosis following immunotherapy among tumors with low TMB, but not those with high TMB.

COVID-19 Vaccines Are Safe for People Receiving Cancer Immunotherapy
NCI, November 2022 Brand (Posted: Nov 28, 2022 10AM)

People with cancer who are treated with certain immunotherapy drugs can receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines without an increased risk of immune-related side effects, new research suggests. The findings are in line with the results of earlier, smaller studies. The new study involved more than 400 people with cancer who were treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Each received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine before or after treatment with a type of immunotherapy drug known as an immune checkpoint inhibitor.

Combining PARP Inhibitor With Immunotherapy-Does the Promise of Preclinical Data Translate to Clinic?
Thawani Rajat et al. JAMA oncology 2022 11 (Posted: Nov 18, 2022 6AM)

Results from two recent trials warrant further investigation into the underlying biology that resulted in lack of clinical benefit of the study drug combination in the majority of patients with non–BRCA-associated cancers, and apparent lack of improved clinical benefit compared with single agent alone in BRCA-associated cancers.

In vivo gene immunotherapy for cancer
D Mai et al, Sci Trans Med, November 9, 2022 (Posted: Nov 09, 2022 2PM)

Cancer is becoming increasingly understood not only as a disease of pathological cells but also as one of immune hypofunction. The heterogenous and patient-specific nature of cancer further underscores the need for personalized cellular therapies, which are currently produced ex vivo. Gene-modulating approaches, such as therapeutic RNAs and improved viral vectors, now bring us closer toward strategies for mitigating disease, particularly for diseases that benefit from altering gene or transgene expression profiles.

Combination cancer immunotherapies: Emerging treatment strategies adapted to the tumor microenvironment
N. Kirchhammer et al, Sci rans Med, November 9, 2022 (Posted: Nov 09, 2022 2PM)

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized cancer treatment. However, resistance to ICB occurs frequently due to tumor-intrinsic alterations or extrinsic factors in the tumor microenvironment. This Viewpoint aims to give an update on recent developments in immunotherapy for solid tumors and highlights progress in translational research and clinical practice.

Pan-cancer molecular tumor board experience with biomarker-driven precision immunotherapy
BH Louie et al, NPJ Precision Oncology, September 22, 2022 (Posted: Sep 24, 2022 7AM)

Despite remarkable responses to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in some advanced cancers, most patients do not benefit, perhaps due to the complexity of tumor/immune/genome interactions. We implemented a multidisciplinary Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) that reviewed multi-omic cancer characteristics to develop N-of-One therapies for patients in the pan-cancer, advanced, refractory setting.

Diet-driven microbial ecology underpins associations between cancer immunotherapy outcomes and the gut microbiome
RC Simpson et al, Nature Medicine, September 22, 2022 (Posted: Sep 23, 2022 7AM)

The gut microbiota shapes the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in cancer, however dietary and geographic influences have not been well-studied in prospective trials. To address this, we prospectively profiled baseline gut (fecal) microbiota signatures and dietary patterns of 103 trial patients from Australia and the Netherlands treated with neoadjuvant ICIs for high risk resectable metastatic melanoma and performed an integrated analysis with data from 115 patients with melanoma treated with ICIs in the United States.

Liquid biopsies and tumor mutational burden: the cutoff conundrum
PM Kazi et al, Nature Medicine, September 12, 2022 (Posted: Sep 12, 2022 1PM)

One of the biggest advances in cancer care has been the advent of immunotherapy, and one of the biggest challenges is predicting which patients are most likely to benefit from it. Several predictive markers have been proposed, with the assessment of the quantity of mutations in a cancer (known as the tumor mutational burden, or TMB) being one of the most promising, particularly as it can be evaluated in the form of a noninvasive, blood-based ‘liquid biopsy’. Assessment of tumor mutational burden through a simple blood test could help to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy, but optimal cutoffs are not well established.

In CAR T cell-treated lymphomas, the T cell rich get richer
T Anagnostou, Nature Medicine, August 29, 2022 (Posted: Aug 29, 2022 1PM)

In patients with large B cell lymphomas, immune features of the tumor microenviroment predict clinical outcomes after CAR T cell therapy; as the number of patients treated with CAR T cells is set to increase, refinement of these and other biomarkers will be crucial.

Finding Ways to Improve Patients’ Cancer Immunotherapy Response
HD Larkin, JAMA, August 9, 2022 (Posted: Aug 09, 2022 11AM)

An investigational tool using whole-exome sequencing (WES) more accurately identified genes and pathways that predict whether patients with cancer will respond to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) than current tumor mutation burden (TMB) tests alone, a new research study reported. TMB is often used to determine ICB eligibility and is generally calculated from a few hundred genes. The researchers sought to improve its performance by broadening analysis to the nearly 20?000 genes consistently captured by WES.

Integrating digital pathology and mathematical modelling to predict spatial biomarker dynamics in cancer immunotherapy
LG Hutchinson et al, NPJ Digital Medicine, July 12, 2022 (Posted: Jul 13, 2022 7AM)

In oncology clinical trials, on-treatment biopsy samples are taken to confirm the mode of action of new molecules, among other reasons. Yet, the time point of sample collection is typically scheduled according to 'Expert Best Guess'. We have developed an approach integrating digital pathology and mathematical modelling to provide clinical teams with quantitative information to support this decision.

Association of High Tumor Mutation Burden in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers With Increased Immune Infiltration and Improved Clinical Outcomes of PD-L1 Blockade Across PD-L1 Expression Levels.
Ricciuti Biagio et al. JAMA oncology 2022 6 (Posted: Jun 18, 2022 10AM)

Is tumor mutation burden (TMB) associated with improved outcomes of programmed cell death–1 (PD-1)/programmed death ligand–1 (PD-L1) inhibition across PD-L1 expression levels in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)? In this cohort study of 1552 patients with NSCLC, the group with high TMB had improved response rates and survival after receiving PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition therapy across PD-L1 expression subgroups compared with the group with low TMB. High TMB levels were associated with increased CD8-positive T-cell infiltration and distinct immune response gene expression signatures.

PD-1 Blockade in Mismatch Repair–Deficient, Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
A Cercek et al, NEJM, June 5, 2022 (Posted: Jun 06, 2022 8AM)

A total of 12 patients have completed treatment with dostarlimab and have undergone at least 6 months of follow-up. All 12 patients (100%; 95% confidence interval, 74 to 100) had a clinical complete response, with no evidence of tumor on magnetic resonance imaging, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose–positron-emission tomography, endoscopic evaluation, digital rectal examination, or biopsy.

A T cell resilience model associated with response to immunotherapy in multiple tumor types
Y Zhang et al, Nature Medicine, May 2, 2022 (Posted: May 03, 2022 8AM)

The Potential of the Gut Microbiome to Reshape the Cancer Therapy Paradigm A Review
L Liu et al, JAMA Oncology, April 27, 2022 (Posted: Apr 28, 2022 0PM)

This review aims to highlight the current understanding of the association of the gut microbiome with the therapeutic response to immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cancer surgery, and more, while also contextualizing possible synergistic strategies with the microbiome for tackling some of the most challenging tumors. It also provides insights on contemporary methods that target the microbiota and the current progression of findings being translated from bench to bedside.

Harnessing the immunotherapeutic potential of CDK4/6 inhibitors in melanoma: is timing everything?
EJ Lelliot et al, NPJ Precision Oncology, April 20, 2022 (Posted: Apr 22, 2022 0PM)

Ipilimumab/Nivolumab Therapy in Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic or Biliary Cancer With Homologous Recombination Deficiency Pathogenic Germline Variants
G Terrero et al, JAMA Oncology, April 21, 2022 (Posted: Apr 22, 2022 0PM)

Pre-treatment serum albumin and mutational burden as biomarkers of response to immune checkpoint blockade
SK Yoo et al, NPJ Precision Oncology, April 6, 2022 (Posted: Apr 07, 2022 10AM)

The effects of cytokine and protein stabilizing carriers, such as serum albumin, on tumor response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) is not well understood. By examining 1714 patients across 16 cancer types, we found that high pretreatment serum albumin level predicts favorable tumor radiographic response following ICB treatment in a dose-dependent fashion. Serum albumin is a candidate biomarker that can be combined with tumor mutational burden (TMB) for additional predictive capacity, and the tumor response rate to ICB was ~49% in the albumin-high/TMB-high group.

A blood-based miRNA signature with prognostic value for overall survival in advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer treated with immunotherapy
T Rajakumar et al, NPJ Precision ONcology, March 31, 2022 (Posted: Apr 02, 2022 8AM)

We sought to identify peripheral blood biomarkers, predictive of response to immunotherapies against lung cancer, based on whole blood microRNA profiling. Using three well-characterized cohorts consisting of a total of 334 stage IV NSCLC patients, we have defined a 5 microRNA risk score (miRisk) that is predictive of overall survival following immunotherapy in training and independent validation (HR 2.40, 95% CI 1.37–4.19; P?<?0.01) cohorts.

Translational advances in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma therapy.
Hosein Abdel Nasser et al. Nature cancer 2022 3 (3) 272-286 (Posted: Mar 31, 2022 8AM)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive cancer that is most frequently detected at advanced stages, limiting treatment options to systemic chemotherapy with modest clinical responses. Here, we review recent advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for treating subtypes of PDAC with diverse molecular alterations. We focus on the current preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the potential of these approaches and the promise of combinatorial regimens to improve the lives of patients with PDAC

Cancer Immunotherapies Don’t Work for Everyone: HLA Gene May Explain Why
NCI, January 2022 Brand (Posted: Feb 08, 2022 10AM)

Hundreds of thousands of people with cancer take immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as nivolumab (Opdivo) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), every year. But for the majority of those people, the medicines—a type of immunotherapy—don’t work to treat their cancer. Now NCI scientists think they’ve found a specific form of a gene that may make immune checkpoint inhibitors less effective for some people. The gene form, known as HLA-A*03, is found in 2% to 16% of the US population.

Last-resort cancer therapy holds back disease for more than a decade- Two of the first people treated with CAR-T cell cancer therapies are still in remission 12 years on.
H Ledford, Nature, February 2, 2022 (Posted: Feb 02, 2022 3PM)

CAR-T cell therapies involve removing immune cells called T cells from a person with cancer, and genetically altering them so that they produce proteins — called chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs — that recognize cancer cells. The cells are then reinfused into the person, in the hope that they will seek out and destroy tumors.

Harnessing big data to characterize immune-related adverse events
Y Jing et al, Nat Rev Clin Oncology, January 2022 (Posted: Jan 26, 2022 7AM)

We summarize the advantages and shortcomings of different sources of ‘big data’ for the study of irAEs and highlight progress made using such data to identify biomarkers of irAE risk, evaluate associations between irAEs and therapeutic efficacy, and characterize the effects of demographic and anthropometric factors on irAE risk. Harnessing big data will accelerate research on irAEs and provide key insights that will improve the clinical management of patients receiving ICIs.

Co-occurring genomic alterations and immunotherapy efficacy in NSCLC
F Zhang et al, NPJ Precision Oncology, January 18, 2022 (Posted: Jan 18, 2022 7AM)

We analyzed the data of 1745 NSCLCs and delineated the landscape of interaction effects of common co-mutations on ICI efficacy. Particularly in nonsquamous NSCLC, KRAS mutation remarkably interacted with its co-occurring mutations in TP53, STK11, PTPRD, RBM10, and ATM. Based on single mutation-based prediction models, adding interaction terms (referred to as inter-model) improved discriminative utilities in both training and validation sets. The scores of inter-models exhibited undifferentiated effectiveness regardless of tumor mutational burden.

A lepidic gene signature predicts patient prognosis and sensitivity to immunotherapy in lung adenocarcinoma
LT Nguyen et al, Genome Medicine, January 12, 2022 (Posted: Jan 12, 2022 8AM)

We found dramatic immunological differences among histological subtypes. Differential gene expression analysis showed that the lepidic and solid subtypes could be differentiated based on their gene expression patterns while the other subtypes shared similar gene expression patterns. Our results indicated that higher L-scores were associated with prolonged survival, and higher S-scores were associated with shortened survival. L-scores and S-scores were also correlated with global genomic features such as tumor mutation burdens and driver genomic events.

Genomic predictors of response to PD-1 inhibition in children with germline DNA replication repair deficiency
A Das et al, Nature Medicine, January 6, 2022 (Posted: Jan 07, 2022 6AM)

Tumour burden and efficacy of immune-checkpoint inhibitors.
Dall'Olio Filippo G et al. Nature reviews. Clinical oncology 2021 10 (Posted: Oct 18, 2021 6AM)

In this Review, we summarize evidence supporting the utility of tumour burden as a biomarker to guide the use of immune-checkpoint inhibitors. We also describe data and provide perspective on the various tools used for tumour burden assessment, with a particular emphasis on future therapeutic strategies that might address the issue of inferior outcomes among patients with cancer with a high tumour burden.

Meta-Analysis of Quality of Life in Cancer Patients Treated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
BD Gonzales et al, JNCI, September 2021 (Posted: Sep 12, 2021 5PM)

Twenty-six of 20,323 publications met inclusion criteria. Global QOL did not change over time in patients treated with ICIs (k?=?26, n?=?6,974, P?=?.19). Larger improvements in global QOL was observed in patients receiving ICI vs. non-ICI regimens (k?=?16, ICI n?=?3,588, non-ICI n?=?2,948, P?<?.001). Physical functioning did not change in patients treated with ICIs (k?=?14, n?=?3,169, P=.47.

How microbiota improve immunotherapy
E Ansaldo et al, Science, August 27, 2021 (Posted: Aug 27, 2021 7AM)

Understanding the mechanism of action of the microbiota in improving responses to immune checkpoint therapy is key for our ability to therapeutically harness them for targeted adjuvant therapies. Optimal responses to immune checkpoint therapy are likely to involve numerous non–mutually exclusive and synergistic effects of the microbiota.

Clinical Response to Immunotherapy Targeting Programmed Cell Death Receptor 1/Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Microsatellite Stable Colorectal Cancer With and Without Liver Metastases
C Wang et al, JAMA Network Open, August 9, 2021 (Posted: Aug 10, 2021 10AM)

Immunotherapy: Building a bridge to a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Bluestone Jeffrey A et al. Science (New York, N.Y.) 2021 7 (6554) 510-516 (Posted: Jul 31, 2021 9AM)

Over the past two decades, research has identified multiple immune cell types and soluble factors that destroy insulin-producing ß cells. These insights into disease pathogenesis have enabled the development of therapies to prevent and modify T1D. In this review, we highlight the key events that initiate and sustain pancreatic islet inflammation in T1D, the current state of the immunological therapies, and their advantages for the treatment of T1D.

Role of the intestinal microbiome and microbial-derived metabolites in immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapy of cancer
E Hayase et al, Genome Medicine, June 26, 2021 (Posted: Jun 27, 2021 7AM)

Evidence has emerged that the intestinal microbiome can modulate outcomes to ICI therapies via two major mechanisms, including those that are antigen-specific and those that are antigen-independent. Antigen-specific mechanisms occur when epitopes are shared between microbial and tumor antigens that could enhance, or, alternatively, reduce anti-tumor immune responses via cross-reactive adaptive immune cells.

Pan-cancer analysis of SETD2 mutation and its association with the efficacy of immunotherapy
M Lu, NPJ Precision Oncology, June 14, 2021 (Posted: Jun 17, 2021 9AM)

Recent Advances in the Treatment of Melanoma.
Curti Brendan D et al. The New England journal of medicine 2021 6 (23) 2229-2240 (Posted: Jun 10, 2021 7AM)

The frequency of melanoma continues to increase, yet the lethality of advanced disease has decreased in the past 10 years. Insights gained from studies of melanoma have led to a deeper understanding of antitumor immune responses and have established immunotherapy as one of the main approaches to cancer treatment.

Biomarker approach harnessed in trials of personalized medicine for bladder cancer
N Dizman et al, Nature Medicine, May 3, 2021 (Posted: May 03, 2021 0PM)

A multi-arm clinical trial reports results of testing a strategy for the treatment of bladder cancer that uses standard immunotherapy plus biomarker assessment and targeted therapies.

FDA Approves Immunotherapy for Endometrial Cancer with Specific Biomarker- Approval is for recurrent or advanced mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) endometrial cancer
FDA, April 22, 2021 (Posted: Apr 23, 2021 9AM)

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to Jemperli (dostarlimab) for treating patients with recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer that has progressed on or following prior treatment with a platinum-containing chemotherapy and whose cancers have a specific genetic feature known as dMMR (which contain abnormalities that affect the proper repair of DNA inside the cell), as determined by an FDA-approved test.

Immunotherapy for esophageal cancer- Anti-PD-1 after surgery improves the survival of patients with esophageal cancers in a clinical trial.
S Sadanand, Nature Medicine, April 15, 2021 (Posted: Apr 21, 2021 7AM)

Predictive Biomarkers: Progress on the Road to Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy
LE Emmens, JNCI, April 2021 (Posted: Apr 18, 2021 7AM)

Response Rates to Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy in Microsatellite-Stable Solid Tumors With 10 or More Mutations per Megabase.
Valero Cristina et al. JAMA oncology 2021 Feb (Posted: Feb 20, 2021 0PM)

In this cohort study of 1678 patients with tumors representing 16 cancer types who were treated with anti–programmed cell death 1 or programmed cell death ligand-1 immunotherapy, response rates were generally higher with high TMB (=10 mutations per megabase). However, the proportion of tumors with high TMB and the association, if any, between high TMB and response rates varied widely across cancer types.

Fecal microbiota transplants help patients with advanced melanoma respond to immunotherapy
NCI, February 4, 2021 Brand (Posted: Feb 05, 2021 7AM)

In a new study, some patients with advanced melanoma who initially did not respond to treatment with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, a type of immunotherapy, did respond to the drug after receiving a transplant of fecal microbiota from a patient who had responded to the drug. The results suggest that introducing certain fecal microorganisms into a patient’s colon may help the patient respond to drugs that enhance the immune system’s ability to recognize and kill tumor cells.

Dissecting the immunogenomic biology of cancer for biomarker development.
Van Allen Eliezer M et al. Nature reviews. Clinical oncology 2020 Dec (Posted: Dec 14, 2020 8AM)

Studies have identified multiple molecular properties with a biological rationale supporting a role in mediating selective responses to immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including loss-of-function mutations in mSWI/SNF chromatin regulators; however, their clinical biomarker relevance is uncertain. Herein, we evaluate emerging concepts, challenges and considerations around translating biology into biomarkers for ICIs in solid tumurs setting.

Applying high-dimensional single-cell technologies to the analysis of cancer immunotherapy
SH Gohil et al, Nature Rev Clin Oncology, December 4, 2020 (Posted: Dec 05, 2020 6AM)

High-dimensional single-cell technologies are likely to provide the resolution and richness of data required to generate such clinically relevant signatures in immuno-oncology. We describe advances made using transformative single-cell analysis technologies, especially in relation to clinical response and resistance to immunotherapy.

Mutational landscape influences immunotherapy outcomes among patients with non-small-cell lung cancer with human leukocyte antigen supertype B44
AL Cummings et al, Nature Cancer, November 26, 2020 (Posted: Nov 17, 2020 8AM)

Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 differentially affect the tumor microenvironment and response to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy
RM Samstein et al, Nature Cancer, November 16, 2020 (Posted: Nov 17, 2020 8AM)

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has improved outcomes for patients with advanced cancer, but the determinants of response remain poorly understood. Here we report differential effects of mutations in the homologous recombination genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 on response to ICB in mouse and human tumors.

Translating noninvasive molecular responses into clinical reality for cancer immunotherapy
JC Murray et al, Nature Reviews Clin Oncology November 9, 2020 (Posted: Nov 09, 2020 11AM)

Noninvasive liquid biopsy assays integrating tumor and immune biomarkers are a promising tool to enhance clinical decision-making in immuno-oncology. Here, we discuss how circulating tumor DNA dynamics, in conjunction with pre-treatment tumor and immune features, can predict clinical response to immune-checkpoint inhibitors alongside the challenges in making their use a clinical reality.

The Current Landscape of Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Hepatocellular Carcinoma- A Review
M Pinter et al, JAMA Oncology, October 22, 2020 (Posted: Oct 23, 2020 7AM)

Association of mismatch repair status with survival and response to neoadjuvant chemo(radio)therapy in rectal cancer
SB Ye, NPJ Precision Oncology, September 8, 2020 (Posted: Sep 09, 2020 9AM)

Prior reports have indicated that defective mismatch repair (MMR) has a favorable impact on outcome in colorectal cancer patients treated with surgery, immunotherapy, or adjuvant chemotherapy. Here we report that dMMR was associated with improved disease-free survival (DFS) (P?=?0.034) in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT).

Association of MUC16 Mutation With Response to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Solid Tumors
L Zhang et al, JAMA Network Open, August 26, 2020 (Posted: Aug 27, 2020 8AM)

MUC16 mutation appears to be associated with reported genomic factors associated with response to and improved outcomes for ICI treatment in solid tumors. It may hold promise as a marker for guiding immunotherapeutic responsiveness.

Cancer immunotherapy comes of age and looks for maturity
A Finck, et al Nat Comms, July 20, 2020 (Posted: Jul 21, 2020 7AM)

Advances in the understanding of basic immunology have ushered in two major approaches for cancer therapy over the past 10 years. The first is checkpoint therapy to augment the function of the natural immune system. The second uses the emerging discipline of synthetic biology and the tools of molecular biology and genome engineering.

A New FDA Approval Furthers the Role of Genomics in Cancer Care
NCI Director blog, July 8, 2020 Brand (Posted: Jul 09, 2020 9AM)

A recent drug approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) marks another milestone in the treatment of cancer. The action by FDA expands the growing list of approved uses for the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab

Association of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy With Survival in Patients With Cancers With MUC16 Variants
Y Yu, et al, JAMA Network Open, June 12, 2020 (Posted: Jun 15, 2020 1PM)

We found a significant association of MUC16 variation with elevated tumor variant burden and prolonged PFS and OS during ICI treatment in pancancer and specifically in NSCLC, suggesting that MUC16 might be an important component of the immunogenetic landscape and should be integrated into multiomics for precise selection of patients to receive ICI.

MHC-I genotype and tumor mutational burden predict response to immunotherapy
AM Goodman et al, Genome Medicine, May 19, 2020 (Posted: May 21, 2020 10AM)

Immune-related adverse events of checkpoint inhibitors
MR Casals et al, Nature Rev did Primers (Posted: May 12, 2020 9AM)

Increased use of immunotherapy has resulted in increased reports of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). These irAEs are unique and are different to those of traditional cancer therapies, and typically have a delayed onset and prolonged duration. IrAEs can involve any organ or system.

Efficacy of Immunotherapy in Microsatellite-Stable or Mismatch Repair Proficient Colorectal Cancer—Fact or Fiction?
RB Corcoran et al, JAMA Oncology, May 7, 2020 (Posted: May 08, 2020 9AM)

The observation that a subset of patients with MSS colorectal cancer may derive some modest benefit from combined immune checkpoint blockade suggests that novel combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with agents that may further enhance the immune response may be a promising approach, and several clinical trials are ongoing.

Association of Long Noncoding RNA Biomarkers With Clinical Immune Subtype and Prediction of Immunotherapy Response in Patients With Cancer
Y Yu et al, JAMA Network Open, April 7, 2020 (Posted: Apr 09, 2020 7AM)

Moving towards personalized treatments of immune-related adverse events
K Esfahani et al, Nat Rev Clin Oncology, April 3, 2020 (Posted: Apr 06, 2020 8AM)

We provide an overview of key cellular and soluble immunological factors mediating immunotherapy related adverse effects, and propose a model integrating this knowledge with the immunohistopathological findings of the affected organs for a personalized decision-making process for each patient.

CRISPR takes on cancer
J Couzin-Frankel, Science, February 7, 2020 (Posted: Feb 07, 2020 8AM)

Launching a new chapter in the fast-moving cancer immunotherapy field, scientists have blended two cutting-edge approaches: CRISPR, which edits DNA, and T cell therapy, in which sentries of the immune system are exploited to destroy tumors.

Neoadjuvant checkpoint blockade for cancer immunotherapy
SL Topalian et al, Science, January 31, 2020 (Posted: Jan 31, 2020 9AM)

New predictors for immunotherapy responses sharpen our view of the tumour microenvironment
TS Bruno, Nature News, January 15, 2020 (Posted: Jan 16, 2020 8AM)

Three studies reveal that the presence in tumors of two key immune components — B cells and tertiary lymphoid structures — is associated with favorable outcomes when individuals undergo immunotherapy

'Great News': CAR T Cells Are Effective and Safe in Babies
R Nelson, Medscape, December 2019 (Posted: Dec 16, 2019 7AM)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been hailed as "truly a game changer for pediatric leukemia," and new data show that this novel therapy can be used even in the smallest of patients ? in 1-year-old babies.

Active Immunotherapy to Prevent Alzheimer Disease—A DNA Amyloid β 1-42 Trimer Vaccine
RN Rosenberg et al, JAMA Neurology, December 9, 2019 (Posted: Dec 10, 2019 8AM)

Preventing Alzheimer's disease: Can the DNA Aß42 trimer vaccine produce a noninflammatory immune response, and reduce the Aß42 peptide and tau neuropathologies in patients with early Alzheimer's disease.

Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.
Hellmann Matthew D et al. The New England journal of medicine 2019 Nov (21) 2020-2031 (Posted: Nov 21, 2019 7AM)

First-line treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab resulted in a longer duration of overall survival than did chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC, independent of the PD-L1 expression level. No new safety concerns emerged with longer follow-up.

Evolutionary divergence of HLA class I genotype impacts efficacy of cancer immunotherapy
D Chowell et al, Nature Medicine, November 7, 2019 (Posted: Nov 08, 2019 9AM)

Vision of the Future of Medical Science
Francis Collins, Time, October 25, 2019 (Posted: Oct 27, 2019 11AM)

Among the many efforts now poised to change the future of health are those to harness the power of gene editing, expand the reach of cancer immunotherapy, map the human brain and build a solid foundation for a more individualized approach to health care, often called precision medicine.

Harnessing the Power of Microbes to Fight Cancer
JP Zegerac, Medscape, October 25, 2019 (Posted: Oct 27, 2019 11AM)

A study in patients with melanoma indicate that users of probiotics have one-third the odds of responding to immunotherapy treatment with anti-programmed cell death-1 checkpoint inhibitors compared with patients not taking probiotics. The study found that patients on probiotics have decreased diversity of the microbiome.", a key measure of overall gut health.

Relating the gut metagenome and metatranscriptome to immunotherapy responses in melanoma patients.
Peters Brandilyn A et al. Genome medicine 2019 Oct (1) 61 (Posted: Oct 15, 2019 9AM)

Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blocker May Be Linked to Metabolic Imbalance
ASCO Post, October 10, 2019 (Posted: Oct 15, 2019 8AM)

Immunotherapy for heart injury
H Stover, Nature Medicine, October 7, 2019 (Posted: Oct 08, 2019 8AM)

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Disclaimer: Articles listed in Hot Topics of the Day are selected by Public Health Genomics Branch to provide current awareness of the scientific literature and news. Inclusion in the update does not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention nor does it imply endorsement of the article's methods or findings. CDC and DHHS assume no responsibility for the factual accuracy of the items presented. The selection, omission, or content of items does not imply any endorsement or other position taken by CDC or DHHS. Opinion, findings and conclusions expressed by the original authors of items included in the Clips, or persons quoted therein, are strictly their own and are in no way meant to represent the opinion or views of CDC or DHHS. References to publications, news sources, and non-CDC Websites are provided solely for informational purposes and do not imply endorsement by CDC or DHHS.
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