Molecular profiling and characterization of the tumor immune microenvironment (TME) in appendiceal carcinoma (AC).

Authors

null

Muneeb Rehman

Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Muneeb Rehman , Yasmine Baca , Joanne Xiu , Phillip Walker , Emil Lou , Wafik S. El-Deiry , Heinz-Josef Lenz , Anthony F. Shields , John Marshall , Curtis Johnston , Matthew James Oberley , Sanjay Goel , Benjamin Adam Weinberg , Andreana Natalie Holowatyj

Organizations

Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancers, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, Brown University, Providence, RI, Department of medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN

Research Funding

No funding received
None.

Background: The rarity of AC presents challenges in understanding disease pathogenesis. We previously showed that AC has higher rates of mutations in KRAS and GNAS and lower rates of TP53, APC, and PIK3CA than CRC. The appendix also has many lymphoid clusters and regulates IgA production in the large bowel, suggesting that AC may be subject to more lymphocytic regulation than CRC. We sought to characterize the molecular profile and TME across AC histopathological types. Methods: AC samples were analyzed by DNA sequencing (592 genes, NextSeq, or whole exome sequencing, NovaSeq), whole transcriptome sequencing (WTS, NovaSeq), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) for molecular profiling, including microsatellite instability (MSI), mismatch repair (MMR), PD-L1 (SP142), and tumor mutational burden (TMB). Microenvironment Cell Population-counter Quantiseq was used to quantify tumor immune contexture using WTS. AC histopathology was derived from pathology reports. Mann-Whitney U and ChiSquare tests were applied as appropriate, with P-values adjusted for multiple comparisons using Benjamini-Hochberg. Results: AC (N = 731) were grouped by histology: 5% goblet cell (GC), 6% high-grade adenocarcinoma (HGA), 14% low grade mucinous (LGM), 33% mucinous adenocarcinoma (MA), 1% pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), 6% signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC), and 35% adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (NOS) (see Table). Age at collection and PD-L1+ (0-5.2%) did not differ by histopathology. Seven patients had dMMR (4 NOS and 3 MA). Median TMB was significantly higher in NOS vs. GC (4 mutations/megabase vs 2, q < 0.001), NOS vs. LGM (4 vs 3, q = 0.048), MA vs. GC (4 vs 2, q < 0.001), and MA vs. LGM (4 vs 3, q = 0.037). Distinct TME patterns were observed in NOS vs. MA (median cell fraction: dendritic cells 0.07 vs 0, q < 0.01; M2 macrophages 0.055 vs 0.042, q = 0.030; natural killer cells 0.034 vs 0.031, q = 0.011; CD4 T cells 0.006 vs 0, q = 0.044) and GC vs. MA (M1 macrophages 0.039 vs 0.057, q = 0.021; dendritic cells 0.012 vs 0, q < 0.01; B cells 0.061 vs 0.050, q = 0.013; M2 macrophages 0.074 vs 0.042, q < 0.01; natural killer cells 0.041 vs 0.031, q = 0.01; and neutrophils 0.017 vs 0.038 q = 0.045). T cell inflamed signature (TIS) and immune-oncology (IO) marker gene expression were higher in HGA and lower in LGM and MA. Somatic mutation rates differed by histopathology (see Table). Conclusions: There is significant heterogeneity in TMB, TME, and mutational profiles across AC histologies. MA has a particularly immune-cold TME shown by lower infiltration of lymphocytes, TIS, and IO gene expression. These findings are critical to identify novel biomarkers and develop new therapeutic strategies for AC.

GeneAC Subtype
GC
(N = 36)
HGA
(N = 43)
LGM
(N = 104)
MA
(N = 239)
PMP
(N = 10)
SRC
(N = 46)
NOS
(N = 253)
GNAS2.8%31%77.4%43%100%6.8%5.6%
KRAS5.7%56.1%94.5%78.3%100%16.3%37.4%
TP5314.7%26.2%9.9%47.2%0%21.4%56%
APC2.8%7.1%3.2%5.2%0%0%23.2%

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Gastrointestinal Cancer—Colorectal and Anal

Track

Gastrointestinal Cancer—Colorectal and Anal

Sub Track

Other Colorectal and Anal Cancer

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr 3622)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.3622

Abstract #

3622

Poster Bd #

322

Abstract Disclosures