Multi‐cohort analysis identifies somatic NTRK mutations as a biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitor use in cutaneous melanoma.

This article discusses a study that aimed to identify biomarkers that could predict the response to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in cutaneous melanoma. The study focused on somatic NTRK mutations, which are alterations in genes involved in regulating cellular processes. The researchers found that cutaneous melanoma patients with somatic NTRK mutations had higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) and showed better response rates and survival outcomes with ICI therapy. However, the association between somatic NTRK mutations and ICI therapy response was only significant in melanoma and not in other types of cancer. The study suggests that somatic NTRK mutations could be used as a predictor for the efficacy of ICI therapy in cutaneous melanoma, and combining this information with TMB could improve patient stratification for ICI therapy. Further research and clinical trials are needed to validate these findings. [Extracted from the article]