| Autor: |
Cirillo A; Division of Oncology, Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, Policlinico Umberto I, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Zizzari IG; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Botticelli A; Division of Oncology, Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, Policlinico Umberto I, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Strigari L; Medical Physics Unit, 'Sant'Orsola-Malpighi' Hospital, 40138 Bologna, Italy., Rahimi H; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Scagnoli S; Division of Oncology, Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Science, Policlinico Umberto I, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Scirocchi F; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Pernazza A; Department of Radiology, Oncology and Pathology, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Pace A; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Cerbelli B; Department of Radiology, Oncology and Pathology, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., d'Amati G; Department of Radiology, Oncology and Pathology, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Marchetti P; Istituto Dermopatico dell'Immacolata (IDI-IRCCS), 00161 Rome, Italy., Nuti M; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Rughetti A; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy., Napoletano C; Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Cell Therapies, Department of Experimental Medicine, 'Sapienza' University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy. |
| Abstrakt: |
Pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody, has been approved as first-line treatment for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma ((R/M) HNSCC). However, only a minority of patients benefit from immunotherapy, which highlights the need to identify novel biomarkers to optimize treatment strategies. CD137 + T cells have been identified as tumour-specific T cells correlated with immunotherapy responses in several solid tumours. In this study, we investigated the role of circulating CD137 + T cells in (R/M) HNSCC patients undergoing pembrolizumab treatment. PBMCs obtained from 40 (R/M) HNSCC patients with a PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) ≥1 were analysed at baseline via cytofluorimetry for the expression of CD137, and it was found that the percentage of CD3 + CD137 + cells is correlated with the clinical benefit rate (CBR), PFS, and OS. The results show that levels of circulating CD137 + T cells are significantly higher in responder patients than in non-responders ( p = 0.03). Moreover, patients with CD3 + CD137 + percentage ≥1.65% had prolonged OS ( p = 0.02) and PFS ( p = 0.02). Multivariate analysis, on a combination of biological and clinical parameters, showed that high levels of CD3 + CD137 + cells (≥1.65%) and performance status (PS) = 0 are independent prognostic factors of PFS (CD137 + T cells, p = 0.007; PS, p = 0.002) and OS (CD137 + T cells, p = 0.006; PS, p = 0.001). Our results suggest that levels of circulating CD137 + T cells could serve as biomarkers for predicting the response of (R/M) HNSCC patients to pembrolizumab treatment, thus contributing to the success of anti-cancer treatment. |
