How to Predict Benefit from Immune Checkpoint Suppression Therapy

摘要

The present invention provides a method for identifying a patient suffering from cancer as either benefiting or not receiving an immune checkpoint suppression therapy, wherein the expression level of one or more preselected markers in a cancerous biological sample obtained from the patient measuring; identifying alternative promoters that are differentially expressed based on the expression level of one or more preselected markers; calculating an alternative promoter usage score (APB score); and using the APB score to identify the patient as benefiting or not benefiting from an immune checkpoint suppression therapy. In particular, patients with high APB scores have lower expression of CD8A, granzyme A and perforin I, and have worse progression-free survival than patients with low APB scores. Patients with lower APB scores have higher objective response rates compared to patients with APB scores.