POLE and Mismatch Repair Status, Checkpoint Proteins and Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in Combination, and Tumor Differentiation: Identify Endometrial Cancers for Immunotherapy.
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ABSTRACT: Objective
Although Polymerase-epsilon (POLE)-mutated and mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient endometrial cancers (ECs) are considered as promising candidates for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, selecting only these patients may exclude other patients who could potentially respond to this treatment strategy, highlighting the need of additional biomarkers for better patient selection. This study aims to evaluate potential predictive biomarkers for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in addition to POLE mutation (POLEm) and MMR deficiency (MMRd).Methods
We performed next generation sequencing for POLE from 202 ECs, and immunohistochemistry for MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, CD3, CD8, PD-1 and PD-L1 on full-section slides from these ECs. We assessed the association of POLEm and MMRd with clinicopathologic features, expression of check point proteins, and density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Prognostic impact of these immune markers was also evaluated.Results
POLEm, MMRd and high-grade tumors exhibited elevated level of TILs. Increased expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 was observed in MMRd and high-grade ECs. A subgroup of MMR proficient ECs also harbored increased density of TILs, and positive expression of PD-1 and PD-L1. In addition, negative expression of checkpoint proteins and high density of TILs in combination was associated with good prognosis.Conclusions
Candidates for PD-1 blockade may extend beyond POLEm and MMRd ECs, additional factors such as tumor grade, and combination of TILs levels and expression of checkpoint proteins may need to be considered for better patient selection.
SUBMITTER: Dong D
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8017289 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Background:
The NCI Surgery Branch has developed an experimental therapy that involves taking white blood cells from patients’ tumors, growing them in the laboratory in large numbers, and then giving the cells back to the patient. These cells are called Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes, or TIL and we have given this type of treatment to over 200 patients with melanoma. Researchers want to know if TIL shrink s tumors in people with digestive tract, urothelial, breast, or ovarian/endometrial cancers. In this study, we are selecting a specific subset of white blood cells from the tumor that we think are the most effective in fighting tumors and will use only these cells in making the tumor fighting cells.
Objective:
The purpose of this study is to see if these specifically selected tumor fighting cells can cause digestive tract, urothelial, breast, or ovarian/endometrial tumors to shrink and to see if this treatment is safe.
Eligibility:
- Adults age 18-70 with upper or lower gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, genitourinary, breast, ovarian/endometrial cancer, or glioblastoma refractory to standard chemotherapy.
Design:
Work up stage: Patients will be seen as an outpatient at the NIH clinical Center and undergo a history and physical examination, scans, x-rays, lab tests, and other tests as needed.
Surgery: If the patients meet all of the requirements for the study they will undergo surgery to remove a tumor that can be used to grow the TIL product.
Leukapheresis: Patients may undergo leukapheresis to obtain additional white blood cells. {Leukapheresis is a common procedure, which removes only the white blood cells from the patient.}
Treatment: Once their cells have grown, the patients will be admitted to the hospital for the conditioning chemotherapy, the TIL cells and aldesleukin. They will stay in the hospital for about 4 weeks for the treatment.
Follow up: Patients will return to the clinic for a physical exam, review of side effects, lab tests, and scans about every 1-3 months for the first year, and then every 6 months to 1 year as long as their tumors are shrinking. Follow up visits will take up to 2 days.
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