Blood Test Predicts Immunotherapy Response AI-based analysis of blood DNA maps the complex ecosystem surrounding cancer cells May 18, 2026 3 min The Pathologist Share Summary Takeaways Listen Quiz Poll 1 A machine-learning approach using blood-derived DNA can predict immunotherapy response in melanoma. 2 The study identified nine conserved tumor microenvironment ecotypes linked to biology, survival, and immunotherapy response. 3 The cfDNA-based method outperformed traditional biomarkers like tumor mutational burden and PD-L1 expression. 4 High levels of inflammatory ecotypes SE7 and SE8 correlated with better treatment outcomes, while SE4 indicated resistance. 5 This noninvasive blood test may enable longitudinal monitoring of tumor microenvironment changes during therapy.
