Cancer immunotherapy biomarkers

PD-L1 works like a ‘stop sign’ inactivating T cells. Interfering with PD-L1 is one way to help prevent cancer from disabling T cells in the tumour microenvironment, where tumours grow and interact with other cells.2,3

Studies are investigating whether high amounts of PD-L1 may indicate tumours more likely to respond to immunotherapies that interfere with PD-L1.2,4

These cells, called ‘tumour-infiltrating immune cells,’ can also express PD-L1 in many types of cancer. 1,2,5-7

PD-L1 on both tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells may help prevent T cells from attacking tumour cells.2,3

Studies are evaluating whether measuring the amount of PD-L1 on both tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells may help predict how well certain medicines may work, or whether measuring the amount of PD-L1 on tumour-infiltrating immune cells alone could be sufficient to serve the same purpose.8,9

Ongoing clinical studies are examining the significance of measuring the amount of the PD-L1 on tumour cells and tumour-infiltrating immune cells across diferent types of cancers, which could help doctors determine which people are most likely to respond to cancer immunotherapy alone or who may need a combination with other medicines.

Dr. Daniel Chen explains how immunotherapy may affect the PD-L1/PD-1 pathway, enabling the body to better detect and fight cancer.