CD8+ T Cell Infiltration Predicts Chemoradiosensitivity in Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal Cancer
Toshihiko Kawaguchi MD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Takeharu Ono MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Send correspondence to Takeharu Ono, MD, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Asahimachi 67, Kurume 830-0011, Japan. E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFumihiko Sato MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorAkihiko Kawahara PhD
Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kurume University Hospital, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorTatsuyuki Kakuma PhD
Biostatistics Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorJun Akiba MD, PhD
Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kurume University Hospital, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorKiminobu Sato MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorShun-ichi Chitose MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorHirohito Umeno MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorToshihiko Kawaguchi MD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Takeharu Ono MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Send correspondence to Takeharu Ono, MD, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Asahimachi 67, Kurume 830-0011, Japan. E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorFumihiko Sato MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorAkihiko Kawahara PhD
Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kurume University Hospital, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorTatsuyuki Kakuma PhD
Biostatistics Center, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorJun Akiba MD, PhD
Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Kurume University Hospital, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorKiminobu Sato MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorShun-ichi Chitose MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorHirohito Umeno MD, PhD
Department of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan
Search for more papers by this authorEditor's Note: This Manuscript was accepted for publication on August 24, 2020.
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Abstract
Objectives
Limited information exists regarding the associations between pre-existing immune parameters in the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) and either chemoradiosensitivity or prognosis for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx or oropharynx involving virus-related or nonvirus-related tumors.
Study Design
Retrospective cohort study.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed 141 patients with EBV+, p16+, or EBV− and p16− statuses who are receiving chemoradiotherapy. We performed immunohistochemistry using pretreatment biopsy specimens to analyze the programed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) levels in tumor and immune cells and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density. We evaluated chemoradiosensitivity and prognosis with respect to these immune-related parameters.
Results
Virus-related tumors showed associations with both PD-L1 expression and high CD8+ TIL density. Patients with higher CD8+ TIL density or greater numbers of PD-L1+ tumor and immune cells showed significant rates of favorable local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that higher CD8+ TIL density is an independent, significant, and favorable predictive factor for LRFS (P = .005) and OS (P = .003), although it is not a significant predictor of PFS (P = .077).
Conclusions
Higher CD8+ TIL density represents a useful and favorable biomarker of chemoradiosensitivity in patients receiving chemoradiotherapy for nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal cancer.
Level of Evidence
3 Laryngoscope, 131:E1179–E1189, 2021
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