Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
BIO-RAD LABORATORIES

Download Mobile App




Cancer Test Could Allow More Patients to Benefit from Immunotherapy

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 01 Jan 2024

Millions of people across the world are diagnosed with colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer each year. A significant number of patients with these cancers exhibit mismatch repair deficiency, a genetic anomaly characterized by errors in DNA due to the absence of specific repair proteins. This deficiency hampers DNA repair capabilities, potentially leading to various cancer types. Prior studies have indicated that patients with this condition often show positive responses to immunotherapy, which leverages the body's immune system to combat cancer. Now, a new study has broadened the scope of patients who might benefit from this treatment approach.

A research team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, MA, USA) conducted an analysis involving 1,655 patients with either colorectal or endometrial cancer. These patients underwent both immunohistochemistry, the prevailing standard test for this genetic state, and next-generation sequencing tests. Immunohistochemistry detects mutations impacting the antigen, while next-generation sequencing provides a more comprehensive mutation analysis. The study discovered that about 6% of endometrial cancer and 1% of colorectal cancer patients exhibiting mismatch repair deficiency were not identified through immunohistochemistry but were detected via next-generation sequencing. This implies that additional patients who could benefit from immunotherapy might be identified through this more sensitive testing method.

Patients identified with mismatch repair deficiency through sequencing responded more favorably to immunotherapy compared to other treatments, with survival and treatment outcomes similar to those diagnosed by both testing methods. Furthermore, the research indicated that patients with the same type and stage of cancer who did not undergo immunotherapy had poorer outcomes than those who received this treatment. The researchers now aim to explore whether these findings are consistent across other sequencing panels and cancer types. Additionally, they intend to examine the role of other genetic deficiencies in the context of mismatch repair deficiency.

“In colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer, which are the two types of cancer where mismatch repair deficiency is most commonly seen, immunotherapy is not the standard treatment unless a patient has this condition,” said first author Elias Bou Farhat, MD, a postdoctoral research fellow in the division of Pulmonary and Clinical Care Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “But in patients with this condition, even in late-stage cancer, those who receive immunotherapy can live for years and in some cases be potentially cured. Including next-generation sequencing as a complimentary testing practice could benefit patients in all phases of cancer, from pre-treatment to advanced stages.”

Related Links:
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Magnetic Bead Separation Modules
MAG and HEATMAG
Complement 3 (C3) Test
GPP-100 C3 Kit
Gold Member
ADAMTS-13 Protease Activity Test
ATS-13 Activity Assay
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get complete access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT)

3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models

Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia)

Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns

Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The AI predictive model identifies the most potent cancer killing immune cells for use in immunotherapies (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

AI Predicts Tumor-Killing Cells with High Accuracy

Cellular immunotherapy involves extracting immune cells from a patient's tumor, potentially enhancing their cancer-fighting capabilities through engineering, and then expanding and reintroducing them into the body.... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The T-SPOT.TB test is now paired with the Auto-Pure 2400 liquid handling platform for accurate TB testing (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Integrated Solution Ushers New Era of Automated Tuberculosis Testing

Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year, positioning it as one of the top killers globally due to a single infectious agent. In 2022, around 10.6 million people were diagnosed... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.