The role of immune profile in predicting outcomes in cancer patients treated with immunotherapy

BackgroundDespite the efficacy of immunotherapy, only a small percentage of patients achieves a long-term benefit in terms of overall survival. The aim of this study was to define an immune profile predicting the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). MethodsPatients with advanced solid tumors, who underwent ICI treatment were enrolled in this prospective study. Blood samples were collected at the baseline. Thirteen soluble immune checkpoints, 3 soluble adhesion molecules, 5 chemokines and 11 cytokines were analyzed. The results were associated with oncological outcomes. ResultsRegardless of tumor type, patients with values of sTIM3, IFN alpha, IFN gamma, IL1 beta, IL1 alpha, IL12p70, MIP1 beta, IL13, sCD28, sGITR, sPDL1, IL10 and TNF alpha below the median had longer overall survival (p<0.05). By using cluster analysis and grouping the patients according to the trend of the molecules, two clusters were found. Cluster A had a significantly higher mean progression free survival (Cluster A=11.9 months vs Cluster B=3.5 months, p<0.01), a higher percentage of disease stability (Cluster A=34.5% vs. Cluster B=0%, p<0.05) and a lower percentage of disease progression (Cluster A=55.2% vs. Cluster B = 94.4%, p=0.04). ConclusionThe combined evaluation of soluble molecules, rather than a single circulating factor, may be more suitable to represent the fitness of the immune system status in each patient and could allow to identify two different prognostic and predictive outcome profiles.