NTTS 2017

From Anti-PD1 to Anti-CTLA4 to T-cell therapy, immune-oncology is being used to treat a growing population of melanoma patients. Companion diagnostic testing identifies who is eligible for which therapy (e.g. PDL1). Surrogate marker testing is used to determine efficacy of therapy and identify progression (e.g. CTCs, circulating DNA, etc.). This talk will emphasize the current approaches to both of these types of assays in relation to the immuno-oncology therapy for melanoma patients. The talk will also review the importance of sample integrity and how biobanks can solve many of these issues.