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Analysis of Human T Cell Activity in an Allogeneic Co-Culture Setting of Pre-Treated Tumor Cells
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Changes in the tumor microenvironment in recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and its implication on

Dong Hyun Kim1,2, Mingu Kang3, Gahee Park3

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, 101, Daehak-Ro, Jongro-Gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.

Discover Oncology
|November 20, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and immune phenotype (IP) decrease in recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This shift towards a "desert" immune phenotype impacts treatment response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Limited understanding of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and immune phenotype (IP) changes in recurrent/metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a key treatment modality for R/M HNSCC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare TILs and IP between initial and recurrent HNSCC tumors.
  • To investigate the relationship between TILs, IP, and ICI treatment outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Paired analysis of intratumoral TIL (iTIL), stromal TIL (sTIL), and IP in 37 R/M HNSCC patients treated with ICIs.
  • Comparison of TIL density and IP characteristics between pre-treatment and recurrent tumor samples.

Main Results:

  • Recurrent tumors showed significantly lower iTIL and sTIL density compared to initial tumors.
  • A significant increase in "desert" immune phenotype was observed in recurrent tumors (83.8% vs. 35.1%).
  • Higher sTIL density in recurrent tumors correlated with favorable overall response and progression-free survival to ICIs.

Conclusions:

  • TILs decrease and the immune phenotype shifts towards "desert" in recurrent HNSCC.
  • TIL density evaluation in both initial and recurrent tumors is crucial for optimizing ICI therapy in R/M HNSCC.

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