When doctors treat solid tumors with immune checkpoint inhibitors, they want to know which patients will respond best. A large review of 3,272 patients across 28 different groups looked at a specific marker called the pan-immune-inflammation value, or PIV. This score measures how much inflammation is happening in the body before treatment starts.
The data showed that patients with a high PIV score had significantly shorter overall survival times. These same patients also saw worse results in other categories, such as disease-free and progression-free survival. Essentially, a high inflammation score was linked to a harder road ahead for those undergoing these specific immunotherapies.
While the link is clear, there are some things to keep in mind. Because the study included many different types of cancer and various follow-up times, the exact predictive power might vary depending on the specific type of cancer or where the patient lives. It is a helpful tool for doctors to understand risks, but it is not a definitive diagnostic test.
