Due to advances in cancer immunotherapy, including positive results from clinical trials testing new agents and combinations, emerging technologies for measuring different facets of immunity, and novel candidate biomarkers, the SITC Immune Biomarkers Oversight Committee has reconvened to review state of the art technologies, identify current hurdles to further success and to make recommendations to the field.

The committee provides expert guidance and insights on the state of the art regarding biomarker identification and application in cancer immunotherapy to more rapidly move the field forward. Central points of focus include biomarker standardization, validation, and identification, as well as data and specimen sharing, collaboration across disciplines, and emergent technologies for investigation of novel candidate biomarkers from early phase trials.

In the video above, published by OncLive, SITC Immediate Past President Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD, discusses the SITC Immune Biomarkers Committee.

Meetings

2018 Immuno-Oncology Biomarkers: State of the Art Workshop

The SITC Immune Biomarkers Oversight Committee reconvened for a two-day workshop on critical next steps in the field, including:

• Obtaining and handling biospecimens
• Exploring, identifying and validating new biomarkers
• Data and specimen sharing
• Collaborating with other disciplines

Meeting Report and Presentations

A review of this meeting was published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) on Dec. 4, 2018. Enduring materials from this program are available to the general public. Click here to access the presentations. Presentations and video recordings are available based on permission from presenters.

Immunotherapy Biomarkers 2016: Overcoming the Barriers

NCI/CCR and SITC co-sponsored a 2016 biomarkers meeting to review the state of the art, discuss current hurdles to further success, and consider recommendations to move the field forward.

The main goals were to provide updated information to a wide audience and solicit stakeholder participation in promoting successful immune biomarker research.

Meeting Report

A review of this meeting was published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) in March 2017.

VIEW REPORT

Publications

• "Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer clinical and biomarkers data sharing resource document: Volume I—conceptual challenges," published on October 30, 2020 in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC)
• "Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer clinical and biomarkers data sharing resource document: Volume II—practical challenges," published on December 15, 2020 in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC)
  

• "SITC cancer immunotherapy resource document: a compass in the land of biomarker discovery,"  published on December 2, 2020 in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC).

• Volume I — Pre-analytical and analytical validation
• Volume II — Clinical validation and regulatory considerations

Identifying baseline immune-related biomarkers to predict clinical outcome of immunotherapy
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, May 2017

Systematic evaluation of immune regulation and modulation
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, March 2017

Novel technologies and emerging biomarkers for personalized cancer immunotherapy
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, January 2016

SITC/iSBTc Cancer Immunotherapy Biomarkers Resource Document: Online resources and useful tools – a compass in the land of biomarker discovery
Journal of Translational Medicine, September 2011

Recommendations from the iSBTc-SITC/FDA/NCI Workshop on Immunotherapy Biomarkers
Clinical Cancer Research, May 2011

Immuno-Oncology biomarkers 2010 and beyond: Perspectives from the iSBTc/SITC biomarker task force
Journal of Translational Medicine, December 2010

A systematic approach to biomarker discovery; Preamble to "the iSBTc-FDA taskforce on immunotherapy biomarkers"
Journal of Translational Medicine, December 2008

Workshop on Cancer Biometrics: Identifying Biomarkers and Surrogates of Cancer in Patients
Journal of Immunotherapy, March/April 2005

Immunologic Monitoring of Cancer Vaccine Therapy: Results of a Workshop Sponsored by the Society for Biological Therapy
Journal of Immunotherapy, March/April 2002

Immune Monitoring Technology Primer Series

Clinical & Biomarkers Data Sharing Subcommittee

CHAIRS
Alessandra Cesano, MD, PhD
ESSA Pharma Inc.

Sergio Rutella, MD, PhD, FRCPath
The John van Geest Cancer Research Centre

Microbiome Subcommittee

CHAIRS
Jennifer A. Wargo, MD, MMSc
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Laurence Zitvogel, MD, PhD
Institut Gustave Roussy

Resources & Useful Tools Subcommittee

CHAIRS
Siwen Hu-Lieskovan, MD, PhD
University of Utah

Holden T. Maecker, PhD
Stanford University

Tumor Mutational Burden Subcommittee

CHAIRS
Priti S. Hegde, PhD
Foundation Medicine

Jianda Yuan, MD, PhD
Merck Research Laboratories