Edward S. Kim, MD, MBA, physician-in-chief at City of Hope Orange County and vice physician-in-chief at City of Hope National Medical Center, discusses the role of biomarker testing in making treatment decisions for patients with solid tumors.

With the emergence of targeted therapies and different agents for the treatment of various malignancies, biomarker testing has become an essential part of the diagnosis of a patient, Kim says. Although radiologic tests, pathology, and histology information are available, the full scope of the patient’s disease is not complete without biomarker testing, Kim stresses.

Despite the importance of biomarker testing, rates of testing remain significantly short of where they should be, Kim continues, adding that mutations or other biomarkers can influence treatment decisions. Biomarker testing can identify patients who may be candidates for a specific therapy that can improve their outcome or deliver similar efficacy with a better safety profile, Kim concludes.

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Edward S. Kim, MD, MBA, discusses the role of biomarker testing in making treatment decisions for patients with solid tumors.


Dr. Kim on the Role of Biomarker Testing in Treatment Decisions for Solid Tumors

Alexander I. Spira, MD, PhD, FACP, research institute director, Thoracic and Phase 1 Trial Program, Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute, Virginia Cancer Specialists, clinical assistant professor, Johns Hopkins University, discusses the exploration of the antibody-drug conjugate tusamitamab ravtansine (SAR408701) with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in patients with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

The phase 2 CARMEN-LC05 trial (NCT04524689) is evaluating tusamitamab ravtansine plus pembrolizumab with or without platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with CEACAM5-positive NSCLC.

This trial produced notable response rates in patients with CEACAM5-positive NSCLC, and using CEACAM5 as a target for treating NSCLC is an exciting concept, Spira says. However, a challenge with the study is that patients need to be screened, and it takes time to conduct those tests and wait for results, Spira explains.

Despite the challenges, tusamitamab ravtansine/pembrolizumab–based combinations have shown promising response rates in the second-line setting and beyond during the trial, Spira continues, adding that the regimen is now being studied in the frontline. In the future, it is hoped a better blood-based biomarker can be used to determine candidates for this treatment, Spira concludes.

Alexander I. Spira, MD, PhD, FACP, discusses the exploration of the antibody-drug conjugate tusamitamab ravtansine with pembrolizumab in patients with non–small cell lung cancer.


On the Horizon in NSCLC: Antibody Drug Conjugates | Supplements and Featured Publications

Dr. Kim on the Role of Biomarker Testing in Treatment Decisions for Solid Tumors

Dr. Spira on the Evaluation of Tusamitamab Ravtansine Plus Pembrolizumab in NSCLC