Abstract 5559
Background
Immunotherapy with nivolumab, an anti-PD-1 blocking antibody, is clinically approved for the management of recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) but it benefits only a minority of patients. The phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibitor tadalafil was found to lower intratumoral myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cells in SCCHN patients. Here we describe exploratory analyses of immune-related gene expression correlates of nivolumab with or without concurrent administration of tadalafil administered for 4 weeks before planned surgical resection in the context of a completed randomized, window-of-opportunity trial.
Methods
RNA-seq was performed on pre- and post-treatment tumor tissues from 28 patients receiving either nivolumab alone (n = 12) or nivolumab and tadalafil (n = 16). RNA was sequenced (NextSeq 500) using 75bp paired-end chemistry at a depth of ∼50 million reads.
Results
Consistent with previous work, pretreatment biopsies of HPV(+) SCCHN (n = 19) were more strongly immune infiltrated when compared to HPV(-) (n = 9) cancers. Preliminary principal component analysis of pretreatment gene expression suggests that select transcripts related to T cells and inflammation were predicitve of clinical outcomes in HPV(+) SCCHN. Nivolumab treatment enhanced expression of a broad range of immune-related genes in both HPV(+) and HPV(-) SCCHNs and this signature was amplified by tadalafil. Whereas transcript patterns consistent with enhanced myeloid cell infiltration after treatment were observed in both, HPV(+) and HPV(-) HNSCCs, T cell gene expression signatures were more pronounced in HPV(+) cancers.
Conclusions
These results point to diverse intratumoral immune states triggered by nivolumab/tadalafil in HPV(+) when compared to HPV(-) SCCHNs. They challenge the notion that increased presence of intratumoral T lymphocytes alone is associated with favorable therapeutic responses to PD1 inhibition in SCCHN. Yet, select pretreatment transcripts associated with innate and/or adaptive immune responses may have prognostic relevance.
Clinical trial identification
NCT 03238365.
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Bristol-Myers Squibb.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
2600 - Atezolizumab (atezo) vs chemotherapy (chemo) in patients (pts) with platinum-treated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC): a long-term overall survival (OS) and safety update from the Phase III IMvigor211 study
Presenter: Michiel Van der Heijden
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3598 - Three-Year Follow-Up From the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-045 Trial: Pembrolizumab (Pembro) Versus Investigator’s Choice (Paclitaxel, Docetaxel, or Vinflunine) in Recurrent, Advanced Urothelial Cancer (UC)
Presenter: Andrea Necchi
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2382 - First Report of Efficacy and Safety From a Phase 2 Trial of Tislelizumab, an Anti-PD-1 Antibody, for the Treatment of PD-L1+ Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma (UC) in Asian Patients
Presenter: Dingwei Ye
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
2388 - Quality of Life of Metastatic Urothelial Cancer (mUC) Patients Treated with Enfortumab Vedotin (EV) Following Platinum-Containing Chemotherapy and a Checkpoint Inhibitor (CPI): Data from EV-201 Cohort 1
Presenter: Bradley McGregor
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3748 - Safety and efficacy of atezolizumab (atezo) in patients (pts) with autoimmune disease (AID): subgroup analysis of the SAUL study in locally advanced/metastatic urinary tract carcinoma
Presenter: Yohann Loriot
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1126 - Validation of the VIO prognostic index in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors
Presenter: Rafael Morales Barrera
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3693 - Pathologic outcomes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk muscle invasive bladder cancer
Presenter: Justin Matulay
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4840 - Analysis of response to prior therapies and therapies after treatment with erdafitinib in fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)-positive patients (pts) with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC)
Presenter: Arlene Siefker-Radtke
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1221 - Clinical outcomes by sex with atezolizumab (atezo) monotherapy in patients (pts) with locally advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC)
Presenter: Jean Hoffman-censits
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
1715 - National Small Cell Bladder Cancer Audit: Results from 26 UK institutions
Presenter: Caroline Chau
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract