Expectations of Oncologist from the Pathologist in Immunotherapy

Nalan AKYÜREKa
aGazi University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pathology, Ankara, Türkiye

Akyürek N. Expectations of oncologist from the pathologist in immunotherapy. In: Şendur MAN, ed. Current Immunotherapy Landscape for Solid Tumors. 1st ed. Ankara: Türkiye Klinikleri; 2024. p.12-7.

ABSTRACT
Pathologists play a vital role in the development and implementation of biomarker testing in cancer immunotherapy. Pathologists’ expertise is crucial in interpreting biomarker results and guiding treatment decisions based on these findings. PD-L1, microsatellite instability/defective mismatch repair (MSI/dMMR) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) have emerged as the most widely investigated biomarkers for predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, the standardization of biomarker assays and the integration of liquid biopsy as a non-invasive method are critical for their clinical implementation. Moreover, the combination of multiple biomarkers and the exploration of novel biomarkers hold promise for enhancing the predictive power of immunotherapy response. Continued research and collaboration are essential to to refine and validate these biomarkers, enabling personalized treatment decisions and improving patient outcomes in the era of immunotherapy.

Keywords: Immunotherapy; predictive biomarkers; programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)

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