Abstract
Head and neck cell squamous-cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are a group of common cancers typically associated with tobacco use and human papilloma virus infection. Up to half of all cases will suffer a recurrence after primary treatment. As such, new therapies are needed, including therapies which promote the anti-tumor immune response. Prior work has characterized changes in the mutation burden between primary and recurrent tumors; however, little work has characterized the changes in neoantigen evolution. We characterized genomic and neoantigen changes between 23 paired primary and recurrent HNSCC tumors. Twenty-three biopsies from patients originally diagnosed with locally advanced disease were identified from the Washington University tumor bank. Whole exosome sequencing, RNA-seq, and immunohistochemistry was performed on the primary and recurrent tumors. Within these tumors, we identified 6 genes which have predicted neoantigens in 4 or more patients. Interestingly, patients with neoantigens in these shared genes had increased CD3+ CD8+ T cell infiltration and duration of survival with disease. Within HNSCC tumors examined here, there are neoantigens in shared genes by a subset of patients. The presence of neoantigens in these shared genes may promote an anti-tumor immune response which controls tumor progression.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 534-548 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Oncotarget |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 1 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- Immune Cell Infiltration
- Mutational Evolution
- Neoantigens
- Tumor Relapse
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology