Serologic, radiographic, and tissue-based markers associated with major pathologic response after treatment with neoadjuvant immunotherapy in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Authors

Michael LaPelusa

Michael Brian LaPelusa

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

Michael Brian LaPelusa , Shadi Chamseddine , Lianchun Xiao , Elshad Hasanov , Priya Bhosale , Yehia I. Abugabal , Betul Gok Yavuz , Shalini S. Yadav , Hop Sanderson Tran Cao , Li Xu , Zishuo Ian Hu , Sunyoung S. Lee , Divya Sakamuri , Michael A. Curran , Sonali Jindal , Gabriel Dan Duda , Padmanee Sharma , Aliya Qayyum , Ahmed Omar Kaseb

Organizations

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - The James, Columbus, OH, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL

Research Funding

No funding sources reported

Background: Neoadjuvant immunotherapy can induce a major pathologic response (MPR) in patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which may be associated with prolonged recurrence-free survival. This study aimed to understand which variables correlate with achieving an MPR. Methods: Patients with resectable HCC who received either neoadjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab or nivolumab alone and underwent surgery were included. 18 patients had baseline and post-treatment computed tomography, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and elastography. 17 of these patients had baseline and post-treatment tissue available for immunohistochemistry. Patients were classified into two groups: MPR, defined as necrosis of >70%, and no MPR. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics and compared using Wilcoxon rank sum test. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Statistically significant differences in objective response (OR) and changes in CD8, Granzyme B, and PD-1 expression were identified upon comparison of patients with an MPR to those without an MPR (Table 1). Additionally, numerical differences in baseline tumor size, change in AFP, and both non-tumor and tumor liver fibrosis (at baseline, after treatment, and interim change) were identified upon comparison of patients with an MPR to those without an MPR. Conclusions: Our data show that large baseline tumor size, greater OR, reduction in AFP, increase in liver and tumor fibrosis, and increase in CD8, Granzyme B, and PD-1 expression after receipt of neoadjuvant immunotherapy are associated with achieving an MPR in patients with resectable HCC.

Pathologic
Response(# of patients)
Mean +/- SDMedian (range)p-value
Baseline tumor size (cm)MPR (6)9.52 +/- 4.089.4 (2.30, 13.60)0.0501
No MPR (12)4.99 +/- 3.694.65 (1.20, 14.00)
Objective response (%)MPR (6)-0.15 +/- 0.35-0.27 (-0.35, 0.56)0.0417
No MPR (12)0.09 +/- 0.160.05 (-0.08, 0.41)
Change in AFP (%)MPR (6)-24.20 +/- 148.02-93.23 (-99.58, 273.65)0.0853
No MPR (12)-14.00 +/- 31.02-5.00 (-98.40, 16.00)
Baseline fibrosis (kPa)MPR (6)2.87 +/- 0.702.90 (1.80, 3.70)0.1768
No MPR (12)2.33 +/- 0.582.15 (1.70, 3.40)
Post-treatment fibrosis (kPa)MPR (6)3.12 +/- 0.733.20 (2.20, 3.90)0.1008
No MPR (12)2.40 +/- 0.922.20 (1.20, 4.60)
Change in fibrosis (%)MPR (6)11.13 +/- 23.5210.52 (-20.59, 48)0.3858
No MPR (12)2.15 +/- 24.650 (-29.41, 52.94)
Change in CD8 expression (% cells/mm2)MPR (6)26.92 +/- 19.8824.19 (-3.00, 51.50)0.0255
No MPR (11)-0.04 +/- 7.930.18 (-15.53, 17.20)
Change in Granzyme B expression (% cells/mm2)MPR (6)15.56 +/- 10.3117.21 (-1.13, 30.72)0.0112
No MPR (11)-2.24 +/- 4.14-2.26 (-9.33, 6.45)
Change in PD-1 expression (% cells/mm2)MPR (6)20.17 +/- 13.7025.49 (-1.06, 38.48)0.0480
No MPR (11)0.40 +/- 3.490.86 (-5.70, 5.63)

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Track

Pancreatic Cancer,Hepatobiliary Cancer,Neuroendocrine/Carcinoid,Small Bowel Cancer

Sub Track

Tumor Biology, Biomarkers, and Pathology

Citation

J Clin Oncol 42, 2024 (suppl 3; abstr 561)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2024.42.3_suppl.561

Abstract #

561

Poster Bd #

G9

Abstract Disclosures

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