Dr. Verschraegen on the Need for Predictive Biomarkers for Immunotherapy in Melanoma

Claire F. Verschraegen, MD, professor of Medicine, director of the Division of Medical Oncology, the Ohio State University College of Medicine, Diane Nye and Michael Rayden chair in Innovative Cancer Research, director for translational research, the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC)–James, discusses the need for predictive biomarkers for the use of immunotherapy in the treatment of melanoma.

No predictive biomarkers are currently known that could help determine which patients with melanoma would best respond to immunotherapy, Verschraegen says. Although tumor mutational burden and PD-L1 expression can be measured, there is no helpful correlation between these factors and how patients will respond, according to Verschraegen, who adds that patients with no biomarkers can still respond to immunotherapy, Verschraegen adds.

Frontline immunotherapy remains the standard of care for patients with melanoma. However, consulting with individual patients remains important to determine the best course of treatment, Verschraegen concludes.