Dr. Kris on Search for Biomarkers in Advanced Squamous NSCLC

Mark G. Kris, MD, medical oncologist, William and Joy Ruane Chair in Thoracic Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the ongoing search for additional biomarkers in advanced squamous non­—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

ALK rearrangements and EGFR mutations confer sensitivity to alectinib (Alecensa) and brigatinib (Alunbrig), and osimertinib (Tagrisso), respectively. However, the search for robust biomarkers of response to checkpoint inhibitors has not been as successful, explains Kris.

Currently, PD-L1 and tumor mutational burden (TMB) are biomarkers in advanced squamous NSCLC. However, these markers are not definitive. As such, investigators are looking for more robust biomarkers, Kris concludes.