Impact of Neoadjuvant Therapy on Immune Microenvironment in Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma
Author Information
Author(s): Scanlon E., Lavery A., Albraikat M., Stevenson L., Kennedy C., Byrne R., Walker A., Mullan-Young B., McManus D.T., Virdee P.S., Elhussein L., Turbitt J., Collinson D., Miedzybrodzka Z., Van Schaeybroeck S., McQuaid S., James J.A., Craig S.G., Blayney J.K., Petty R.D., Harkin D.P., Kennedy R.D., Eatock M.M., Middleton M.R., Thomas A., Turkington R.C.
Primary Institution: Queen’s University Belfast
Hypothesis
Can transcriptional analysis of DEBIOC patient biopsy and resection specimens provide insight into the molecular stratification of oesophageal adenocarcinoma and its response to neoadjuvant therapy?
Conclusion
Oesophageal adenocarcinoma can be divided into three immune-related subgroups that change significantly in response to neoadjuvant therapy, particularly showing immune suppression in HER2-positive tumors.
Supporting Evidence
- Three immune-related subgroups were identified based on innate immune signaling.
- The immune-high subgroup showed a marked reduction in immune signaling after neoadjuvant therapy.
- Patients with a pathological response had increased immune signaling.
- Non-responders were enriched for nucleotide repair and cellular growth pathways.
Takeaway
This study looked at how treatment affects different types of oesophageal cancer, finding that some cancers lose their immune defenses after therapy.
Methodology
Transcriptomic profiles from 25 pre-treatment biopsies and 18 matched resection specimens were analyzed using gene signatures and digital assessment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
Potential Biases
Potential sampling errors in HER2 expression assessment.
Limitations
Limited sample size and non-standard neoadjuvant therapy may affect the conclusions.
Participant Demographics
Patients with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus or gastro-oesophageal junction.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.03
Confidence Interval
95% CI not provided
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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