Characterising B cell expression and prognostic significance in human papillomavirus positive oropharyngeal cancer.
Oral Oncol
; 150: 106687, 2024 Mar.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38262249
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
The incidence of human papillomavirus positive oropharyngeal cancer (HPV+OPC) is increasing, and new biomarkers are required to better define prognostic groups and guide treatment. Infiltrating T cells have been well studied in head and neck cancer, however the presence and role of B cells and tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in the tumor microenvironment has not, even though the interplay between T and B cells is increasingly being recognised. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
Using CD20 immunohistochemistry (IHC) to identify B cells and TLS in a cohort of 159 HPV + OPC patients, we semi-quantitatively scored abundance and location (intra-tumoral or stromal) and correlated findings with patient survival.RESULTS:
32% (51/157) of patients had high intra-tumoral (IT) abundance of CD20+ B cells (≥5%) and this was prognostic for improved overall survival (OS) with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 0.2 (95 % CI 0.0-0.7, p = 0.014). We validated our results in an independent cohort comprising 171 HPV + OPC where 14% (23/171) were IT CD20+ high, again showing improved survival with an adjusted HR for OS of 0.2 (95 % CI 0.0-1.4, p = 0.003). Neither stromal abundance nor the presence of TLS were prognostic in either cohort. B cells were subtyped by multispectral IHC, identifying CD20+CD27+ cells, consistent with memory B cells, as the predominant subtype. Combined with validated biomarker CD103, a marker of tissue-resident memory T cells, IT CD20+ B cells abundance was able to prognostically stratify patients further.CONCLUSIONS:
CD20+ B cell abundance has the potential to be used as a biomarker to identify good and poor prognosis HPV + OPC patients.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Neoplasias Orofaríngeas
/
Infecções por Papillomavirus
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Austrália