TMB Biomarker Is A Winding Path Rather Than Straight Road

The tumor mutational burden biomarker had a much higher profile at this year's ASCO meeting, promising to help target treatment to individuals, though practical barriers remain and testing still is not ready for prime time yet.

Landscape from the rocky Fagaras mountains in Romania in the summer evening with Transfagarasan winding road in the distance

It's early days for development of the tumor mutational burden (TMB) as a way of guiding immuno-oncology (IO) drugs, but if the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting is any indication, specialists are warming to the biomarker and sponsors say they are fully committed to further development.

Tumor mutation burden refers to the number of mutations in tumor cells, with higher levels of damage meaning there is a greater likelihood of response to treatment. (Also see "

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