Pre-Existing Immunity Predicts Response to First-Line Immunotherapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

T-cell-mediated anti-tumoral responses may have significant clinical relevance as a biomarker for response to immunotherapy. The value of peripheral blood pre-existing tumor antigen-specific T cells (PreI⁺) as a predictive immunotherapy biomarker in NSCLC patients was investigated, along with the frequency of various circulating immune cells. Fifty-two treatment-naïve, stage III/IV NSCLC patients, treated with front-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI)-containing regimens were enrolled. PreI was calculated as the percentages of CD3⁺IFNγ⁺ cells after in vitro co-cultures of PBMCs with peptides against four different Tumor-Associated Antigens (TAA). Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood immune cells was performed using multicolor flow cytometry. PreI⁺ T cells were detected in 44% of patients. Median overall survival (OS) was significantly higher in PreI⁺ patients compared to PreI^- patients (not reached vs. 321 days, respectively; p = 0.014). PreI⁺ patients had significantly higher numbers of possible exhausted CD3⁺CD8⁺PD-1⁺ cells and lower percentages of immunosuppressive Tregs compared to PreI^- patients. Additionally, patients with PreI⁺ and low numbers of peripheral blood M-MDSCs had a significant survival advantage compared to the rest of the patients. Thus, combining pre-existing tumor antigen-specific immunity before initiation of ICI in NSCLC patients with selected immune-suppressive cells could identify patients who have a favorable clinical outcome when treated with ICI-containing regimens.