Biomarkers
Tumor Mutational Burden
Also known as: TMB, Mutational load
Definition
A measure of the number of mutations present in a tumor's DNA, which can predict response to immunotherapy.
Detailed Explanation
High tumor mutational burden (TMB-H) means the cancer has many mutations. These mutations can create abnormal proteins (neoantigens) that the immune system can recognize. Cancers with high TMB often respond better to checkpoint inhibitors because the immune system has more targets to attack.