Tumor Mutational Burden Associated With Response to Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genomics
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent malignancy, particularly in Asia.
• Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) offers survival benefits for GC patients with peritoneal metastases.
• Patient response to HIPEC varies, necessitating predictive biomarkers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify genomic biomarkers predicting response to HIPEC in gastric cancer.
• To correlate tumor mutational burden (TMB) with progression-free survival in HIPEC-treated GC patients.

Main Methods:

• Whole-exome sequencing of tumor samples from 18 GC patients treated with HIPEC.
• Assessment of the association between genomic mutation features and progression-free survival.
• Replication study using exome sequencing on an additional 15 GC patients.

Main Results:

• Significantly higher tumor mutational burden (TMB) observed in patients with better HIPEC response.
• Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed longer survival for high TMB patients compared to low TMB patients.
• Recurrently mutated genes in responders were identified and validated across cohorts.

Conclusions:

• Elevated TMB is a significant predictor of positive response to HIPEC in gastric cancer.
• TMB serves as a valuable biomarker for prognostic stratification in HIPEC treatment.
• Genomic insights can guide personalized treatment strategies for advanced gastric cancer.