A recent study presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress suggests that the B7-H3 protein may serve as a predictive biomarker for response to neoadjuvant nivolumab (Opdivo) and relatlimab (Opdualag) in patients with stage IIIb or IV resectable melanoma. The findings stem from a longitudinal biomarker analysis of a phase 2 trial (NCT02519322) evaluating the combination immunotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting.
The research, led by Elizabeth Burton, PhD, Director of Research Planning and Development, Surgical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, aimed to identify baseline predictors and mechanisms of response to the nivolumab and relatlimab regimen. Burton emphasized the opportunity to examine the biology and mechanisms in patients who respond to the treatment, as well as to identify baseline predictors. Previous studies with PD-1 and anti-CTLA4 therapies have shown different features that predict pathologic response and event-driven outcomes, but these have not been evaluated in the neoadjuvant setting for nivolumab and relatlimab in resectable melanoma.
The study involved deep analysis of patient tissues, including gene expression profiling on baseline and longitudinal samples. The NanoString PanCancer IO360 panel was used to gain insight into the tumor microenvironment and potential immune response over time. The results indicated that B7-H3 protein may help predict response to nivolumab with relatlimab.
Burton also highlighted the crucial role of oncology nurses in the clinical trial process. "Our oncology nursing, especially our research nursing and our clinical research teams are absolutely pivotal and critical partners in the entire process, both from recruiting our patients to the trials, helping them understand the point of the clinical trials and how they're contributing to understanding these mechanisms of disease, making sure that they're managed appropriately and safely, together with the physicians and in the treating teams. But really, our oncology nurses are truly the shepherds for our patients through their clinical trial journey and are absolutely critical part of the team."
