Anti-CTLA4 Immunotherapy in Melanoma: The Search for the Genomic and Microenvironmental Basis of Clinical Response

Higher mutational and neoantigen loads and greater expression of a protein suppressing T-cell function correlated with response to ipilimumab.

Immunotherapies have demonstrated great promise for generating prolonged responses in patients with advanced melanoma. However, it has been difficult to predict which 20% of patients are likely to reap these benefits. To identify genomic characteristics of tumors that predict responsiveness to anti-CTLA4 therapy with ipilimumab, investigators analyzed 110 melanomas from ipilimumab recipients. Clinical benefit was defined as complete or partial response, or stable disease with >1-year overall survival.

They confirmed that higher overall number of mutations resulting in protein changes correlated with clinical benefit. Interestingly, patient age, gender, tumor histology, primary site, previous therapies, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels …

Reviewing Author

Kenneth Y. Tsai, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Grant / Research support American Association for Cancer Research – Landon Foundation; National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute; Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas

Editorial BoardsJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Kenneth Y. Tsai, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Grant / Research support American Association for Cancer Research – Landon Foundation; National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute; Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas

Editorial BoardsJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Anti-CTLA4 Immunotherapy in Melanoma: The Search for the Genomic and Microenvironmental Basis of Clinical Response

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Reviewing Author