A biomarker is a biological molecule found in blood, other body fluids, or tissues. It is a sign of a normal or abnormal process, or a condition or disease. Biomarkers may be used to see how well the body responds to a treatment, or to predict the course of a disease or condition.

A CRP test is used to see if you have symptoms of inflammation. Doctors also use CRP levels to guide treatment of a bacterial infection or to monitor inflammatory processes that occur in some autoimmune diseases.

This study looked at levels of a biomarker called C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood to try to predict the effectiveness of a combination of avelumab plus axitinib in people with advanced kidney cancer.

This was a follow-up study of the phase 3 JAVELIN Renal 101 trial. CRP levels were measured in the blood at baseline and early after treatment with avelumab plus axitinib or sunitinib in patients with advanced kidney cancer.

The study found that CRP levels at baseline and early after treatment may predict the effectiveness of treatment with avelumab plus axitinib in patients with advanced kidney cancer.

Read more in Practice Update here