Exome Analysis Reveals Genomic Markers Associated with Better Efficacy of Nivolumab in Lung Cancer Patients

Abstract Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, only one-quarter of patients benefit from these new therapies. PD-L1 assessment and tumor mutational burden (TMB) are available tools to optimize use of checkpoint inhibitors but novel tools are needed. Exome sequencing could generate many variables but their role in identifying predictors of response is unknown. Experimental Design: We performed somatic and constitutional exome analyses for 77 patients with NSCLC treated with nivolumab. We studied: one-tumor-related characteristics: aneuploidy, CNA clonality, mutational signatures, TMB, mutations in WNT, AKT, MAPK, an…