Early C-reactive protein kinetics predicts immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer in the phase III OAK trial

Saal J, Bald T, Eckstein M, Ritter M, Brossart P, Ellinger J, Hoelzel M, Klümper N (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

JNCI Cancer Spectrum Oxford University Press

Book Volume: 7

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1093/jncics/pkad027

Abstract

Static biomarkers like programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are insufficient to accurately predict response to immune checkpoint inhibition. Therefore, on-treatment biomarkers, which measure immediate therapy-associated changes, are currently shifting into the focus of immuno-oncology. A prime example of a simple predictive on-treatment biomarker is the early C-reactive protein (CRP) kinetics with its predictive CRP flare-response phenomenon. Here, we were able to confirm the predictive value of CRP flare-response kinetics in the pivotal phase III OAK trial (NCT02008227), which compared atezolizumab with docetaxel in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Of note, CRP flare-response predicted favorable outcomes only in the immune checkpoint inhibition-treated subgroup, which suggests that it is an immunotherapy-specific phenomenon. In conclusion, we have for the first time validated the high predictive value of early CRP kinetics in a pivotal phase III trial, justifying the broad use of this cost-effective and easy-to-implement on-treatment biomarker to optimize therapy monitoring for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Authors with CRIS profile

Markus Eckstein Institute of Pathology

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Bonn DE Germany (DE) Centrum für Integrierte Onkologie Aachen Bonn Köln Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Saal, J., Bald, T., Eckstein, M., Ritter, M., Brossart, P., Ellinger, J.,... Klümper, N. (2023). Early C-reactive protein kinetics predicts immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer in the phase III OAK trial. JNCI Cancer Spectrum, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/jncics/pkad027

MLA:

Saal, Jonas, et al. "Early C-reactive protein kinetics predicts immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer in the phase III OAK trial." JNCI Cancer Spectrum 7.2 (2023).

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