The composition of the gut microbiota has emerged as a tumour-extrinsic factor that modulates response to immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), although the lack of consistency in microbiota signatures across studies has limited their value as reliable biomarkers. Herein, we discuss a recent study in which longitudinal microbiome profiling identified several taxa that are persistently enriched in patients with melanoma and a favourable response to ICIs.
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Acknowledgements
S.M.V. is supported by a salary award from the Ontario Institute of Cancer Research and grants from the Hecht Family Foundation and Weston Foundation. D.D. is supported by grants from the Department of Defense (ME230254), Gateway Foundation for Cancer Research and National Institute of Health (P50 CA254865 (Project 2), R01 CA257265 and U01 CA271407).
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S.M.V. is an independent director at IMV, and a consultant for Fed Bio and Kanvas Biosciences. D.D. receives institutional grants and research support from Arcus, Immunocore, Merck, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Tesaro/GSK; is a consultant for ACM Bio, Ascendis, Castle, Clinical Care Options, Gerson Lehrman Group, Immunitas, Medical Learning Group, Replimmune, Trisalus and Xilio Therapeutics; a member of the speakers’ bureau for Castle Biosciences; and is involved in the US Patent 63/124,231 (‘Compositions and Methods for Treating Cancer’) and US Patent 63/208,719 (‘Compositions and Methods For Responsiveness to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI), Increasing Effectiveness of ICI and Treating Cancer’).
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Maleki Vareki, S., Davar, D. Identification of dynamic microbiota signatures in patients with melanoma receiving ICIs: opportunities and challenges. Nat Rev Clin Oncol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-024-00882-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41571-024-00882-2
