Biomarkers for Predicting Anti-Programmed Cell Death-1 Antibody Treatment Effects in Head and Neck Cancer

• Published in: Current oncology (Toronto) Vol. 30; no. 6; pp. 5409 - 5424
• Main Authors: Tanaka, Katsunori, Hirakawa, Hitoshi, Suzuki, Mikio, Higa, Teruyuki, Agena, Shinya, Hasegawa, Narumi, Kawakami, Junko, Toyama, Masatomo, Higa, Tomoyo, Kinjyo, Hidetoshi, Kise, Norimoto, Kondo, Shunsuke, Maeda, Hiroyuki, Ikegami, Taro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01-06-2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Aged; anti-programmed cell death-1 antibody; Apoptosis; B7-H1 Antigen - metabolism; Biochemistry; Biological markers; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Cell Death; Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid; head and neck cancer; Head and Neck Neoplasms - drug therapy; Head and Neck Neoplasms - genetics; Humans; immune-related adverse events; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Monoclonal antibodies; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; nutrition; polymorphism; Prognosis; programmed cell death ligand-1; Squamous cell carcinoma; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck - drug therapy; Japan; nutrition; anti-programmed cell death-1 antibody; head and neck cancer; disease prognosis; immune-related adverse events; polymorphism; programmed cell death ligand-1
• ISSN: 1718-7729; 1198-0052; 1718-7729
• DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30060410

In recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M-HNSCC), survival outcomes are significantly better in patients who receive anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody therapy than in those who receive standard therapy. However, there is no established biomarker that can predict the anti-PD-1 antibody treatment effect and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in these patients. This study investigated the inflammatory and nutritional status in 42 patients with R/M-HNSCC and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) polymorphisms (rs4143815 and rs2282055) in 35 of the 42 patients. The 1- and 2-year overall survival was 59.5% and 28.6%, respectively; the 1- and 2-year first progression-free survival was 19.0% and 9.5%, respectively, and the respective second progression-free survival was 50% and 27.8%. Performance status and inflammatory and nutritional status (assessed by the geriatric nutritional risk index, modified Glasgow prognostic score, and prognostic nutritional index) were identified as significant indicators of survival outcomes in multivariate analysis. Patients with ancestral alleles in PD-L1 polymorphisms had less frequent irAEs. Performance status and inflammatory and nutritional status before treatment were closely related to survival outcomes after PD-1 therapy. These indicators can be calculated using routine laboratory data. PD-L1 polymorphisms may be biomarkers for predicting irAEs in patients receiving anti-PD-1 therapy.